The Rules of Foosball : How to Play The Right Way!
Today we’ll explain the rules of one of our favorite games ever : foosball! (aka Table football and table soccer). The rules of the game are pretty simple, but its important to know them, so next time you beat your buddies the right way, haha.
Here’s what this post covers –
- Foosball Game Definition
- The Rules of Foosball and How to Play
We promise to keep it brief so you can go ahead and play foosball as soon as possible!
Quick tip: we recently reviewed the best foosball tables, read the post here!
The Foosball Game Defined : Its Basically Soccer
Foosball, or football table, is a basically a table soccer game.
In soccer, each team has 11 players, [ one of them is the goal-keeper ].
The purpose of the game is to score to your opponents goal while defending yours.
In real life soccer, you’re only allowed to move the ball with any part of the body, but your hands (unless you’re the goal keeper).
If you’re interested in learning more about the rules of soccer, click here.
In foosball, you want to use your 11 players to get the ball all the way to the other side of the table and score to your opponents goal.
*Pro Foosball Tip : When you score, make sure you shout “GOALLLLL” as loud as you can. It makes things a bit more fun, and will de-moralize your opponent!
Now that we defined the game, lets talk about the actual rules of soccer table [foosball].
The Rules of Foosball and How to Play
Here are the rules of the foosball game, we recommend that you print them and place them near your foosball table, or if you play somewhere else, keep the in your pocket in case your opponent questions your game!
1.How to Start The Foosball Game –
Like in real life soccer, to start the game you and your opponent flip a coin.
Whoever wins the coin flip, will toss the ball into play.
The ball must be tossed through the service hole. And the winner is allowed to “manipulate & spin” the ball through the hole, thats his privilege.
*Pro Foosball Tip : if you won the coin flip, make sure you spin the ball so it’ll land in the legs of your foosball players!
2. Score 5 Times to Win The Foosball Game
In a standard foosball game, the winner is the first to score 5 times. When it comes to whats considered a “score”, the same “soccer” rules apply.
Meaning, as long as the ball crosses your opponents goal line, it is a goal. It doesn’t matter if the ball bounces back out of the goal later on!
*Pro Foosball Tip: keep your eyes on your opponents goal, sometimes the ball will pass the line and bounce back and if you’re not looking, you’ll miss a score!
3. Spinning is FORBIDDEN in Foosball
Spinning is defined as : ” rotating any of your soccer figures more than 360° “.
This ruins the game and just turns into a chaos if you and your opponents will just recklessly spin your figures like crazy. It also does take the “skill” element out of the game.
Foosball is a beautiful game where you have to think, strategize, and find the best path to score into your opponents goal, and this rule makes total sense.
*Pro Foosball Tip: if your opponent is spinning and won’t stop, refer him to this page (we’re mobile friendly! haha)
4. What happens if the ball gets “stuck” in foosball?
If the ball for any reason get stuck, also called “dead ball”, and can’t be reached by any of the soccer tools on the table, one of the players can reach with his hand and reposition the ball.
Usually, the player (you / your friend) that is physically closest to the ball is the one to move it.
In any other occasion, touching the field or the ball with your hands is illegal.
5. No cheating!
You can’t use any other object to play the game besides the soccer players on your side of the table.
You’re not allowed to touch the handles of your opponents players.
You’re not allowed to touch the foosball ball or the surface of the table unless the ball is a “dead ball”.
You’re not allowed to physically disturb your opponent and stopping him from reaching his players.
These Are the Rules of Soccer Table – Now Lets Play Foosball!
These are the rules of foosball, they are simple and thats what makes this game so much fun. Now that you know the rules, go have some fun!
Now that you know the rules, we recommend reading our post on the 21 best foosball tips and tricks so you can improve your skills as well!
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