Bubble Soccer Rules & How to Play

Bubble soccer — sometimes called bubble football or bumper ball — has no single governing body, which means rules can vary from league to league and country to country. The sport first surfaced in Norway in 2011 when comedians Henrik Elvestad and Johan Golden wore inflatable zorb-like suits on a football pitch. What started as a comedy sketch quickly became a real competitive format. Early adopters made up rules on the fly, but by 2014 several national associations had codified basic standards. Today most organised leagues follow a broadly similar ruleset, and the guidelines below reflect the consensus used in tournaments from Europe to North America and Australia. Whether you are hosting a casual match or a competitive league night, these rules will serve as your go-to reference.

A standard bubble soccer match is played between two teams of five players each (four outfield plus one goalkeeper, though many casual games skip the keeper). The pitch is typically 25–30 metres long and 15–20 metres wide — roughly half the size of a regular football pitch. Matches consist of two halves of five to eight minutes each, separated by a two-minute half-time break. The short halves reflect the physically demanding nature of the sport: running and bumping inside a bubble is exhausting. A coin toss determines which team kicks off. The ball is placed at the centre mark and play begins on the referee's whistle. After a goal is scored, the conceding team restarts from the centre. Substitutes, if available, can be rotated in during half-time or during stoppages at the referee's discretion.

All players except the goalkeeper must wear a properly inflated bubble at all times during play. The bubble must cover the player's torso and head; arms extend through the side openings and legs remain free for running and kicking. Players may bump opponents using the bubble — front-on, side-on and even back-to-back contact is legal. However, charging at a player from behind while they are stationary, deliberately targeting the legs below the bubble, and using elbows, fists or the head outside the bubble shell are all fouls. If a player falls and cannot get up unaided, the referee stops play and team-mates may help. The ball may be kicked, headed (through the bubble) or deflected off the bubble surface. Handball rules follow standard football: deliberate use of arms or hands outside the bubble shell results in a free kick.

Common fouls include tripping, charging from behind, sliding tackles (usually banned outright for safety), and removing or partially unstrapping the bubble during play. A foul inside the penalty area results in a penalty kick taken from six metres. Free kicks are indirect unless the foul is deemed dangerous, in which case the referee may award a direct free kick. Yellow and red cards are used in competitive leagues: two yellows equal a red, and a red means the player is off for the remainder of the half with no substitute. In recreational play, referees often replace cards with simple sin-bin periods of one to two minutes.

One of the best things about bubble soccer is its flexibility. Last Man Standing is a free-for-all in which players try to knock everyone else down — the last person upright wins. Bubble Sumo puts two players in a small circle; the first to push the other out wins the round. Bubble Relay is a team race in which players must dribble a ball through a cone course while wearing bubbles. Bubble Bowling places ten foam pins at one end of the pitch and a player rolls inside a bubble to knock them down. Capture the Flag adds a tactical layer, requiring teams to retrieve a flag from the opponent's zone while defending their own. These variations are excellent for corporate events and parties — for more ideas on event formats, see our Planning Bubble Soccer Events guide.

You do not need a professional sports facility. Any flat, obstacle-free area of at least 20 × 15 metres works — a gymnasium, an outdoor grass field, an astroturf pitch or even a large car park covered with rubber matting. Mark the boundaries with cones or tape. Place two small goals (roughly 3 × 1.5 metres) at each end; collapsible pop-up goals are ideal. Remove any sharp objects, stones or debris from the playing surface before kick-off. For indoor venues, ensure ceiling height is at least three metres to accommodate players bouncing upright inside bubbles. If you need help choosing the right equipment setup for your venue, Bubble Allstars offers free consultation as part of every quote.

Every match should have at least one referee — two for competitive games. The referee enforces the rules, starts and stops play, keeps time and records goals. In casual settings, a shared smartphone timer and a simple whiteboard work fine for scorekeeping. For tournaments, assign a dedicated scorekeeper and use a bracket or round-robin format. Brief all players on the key rules before the first whistle; a two-minute safety talk dramatically reduces incidents and keeps the event running smoothly.

To make your first bubble soccer match a success, follow this checklist: confirm a flat, clear playing surface of at least 20 × 15 metres; inflate all bubbles to the manufacturer's recommended pressure (see our Safety Tips & Maintenance guide); set up goals and mark boundaries with cones; assign a referee and brief players on the core rules; split into teams of five; play two halves of six minutes each; rotate substitutes at half-time; and most importantly — have fun. If you are planning a larger event with multiple matches, our Planning Bubble Soccer Events article covers scheduling, logistics and promotion in detail.