Bubble Football: The Complete Guide
All you need to know about bubble football and zorb football — from your first bounce to running your own hire business.
Bubble football — also called zorb football, bubble soccer or bumper ball — has gone from a novelty clip on YouTube to a recognised sport and entertainment format worldwide. Perhaps you are a first-time player wondering how it is played, an event organiser looking for an activity that lands with every group, or someone weighing up a hire business of your own. This guide covers each of those angles. Bubble Allstars has spent years sourcing and distributing premium bubble football suits, which has given us a close-up view of how the industry has matured. Below are our ten in-depth articles, each answering the questions we field most often from customers in Ireland and further afield.
Bubble football, bubble soccer, bumper ball: one sport, many names
Bubble football is football played inside inflatable suits: each player wears a large air-filled bubble over the upper body and head, the legs stay free to run and kick, and bumping into opponents is part of the game. The same sport is called bubble soccer (the usual name in the US and much of Europe), bumper ball, body zorb or zorb football, and is also known as Loopyball. Whatever the name, the kit is the same: a 1.5 m suit for adults or a 1.2 m suit for children, made of PVC or TPU.
A short history
The game began in Norway in 2011, when comedians Henrik Elvestad and Johan Golden played football in zorb-like suits on a TV comedy show. The clips spread fast, early players made up the rules as they went, and within a few years leagues and event companies across Europe were playing to broadly the same rules: small teams, short halves and no charging from behind. Today it is a staple of team events, school sports days, birthday parties and rental businesses. Bubble Allstars, based in Vienna, has supplied the equipment as a certified distributor since 2008.
So What Is Bubble Football?
Bubble football is a team game in which every player climbs into a large inflatable suit (typically covering the torso, head and upper arms) and sets about scoring goals while bumping, rolling and bouncing off opponents. It began in Norway in 2011 after a comedy TV sketch went viral, and it now has a following in more than 80 countries. Most matches are five-a-side on a small pitch, although the format stretches from a casual game in a field to an organised league tournament.
Why Is It So Popular?
Bubble football owes its popularity to three things: it is genuinely funny to play, sporting ability counts for very little, and it looks superb in photos and video — which makes it made for social media. Corporate event planners, birthday party hosts and stag and hen party organisers all rate it because the laughter starts within minutes. Very little is needed to get going: a flat surface, a ball and a set of suits.
Choosing the Right Equipment
How good the experience is comes down to the suits themselves. Cheap copies from unverified suppliers tend to use thin PVC, weak seams and flimsy harnesses that go soft halfway through a match. Bubble Allstars supplies certified, heavy-duty suits in PVC and TPU alike, with reinforced stitching and ergonomic internal harnesses. Our PVC vs TPU comparison below sets out the materials in detail.
Playing Formats and Variations
Classic bubble football runs on simplified football rules, but players have invented dozens of variations between them: Last Man Standing (a free-for-all bumping format), Bubble Sumo (one-on-one ring battles), bubble relay races, bubble bowling and even bubble royale formats. Our Rules & How to Play guide takes each of them in turn.
Safety First
Bubble football looks like mayhem, yet the statistics put it well below conventional contact sports for injuries once the basic guidelines are followed. The inflatable shell soaks up impacts and keeps players from colliding body to body. Surface choice, player screening and a referee keeping an eye on things still matter. Our Safety Tips & Maintenance article sets out the full checklist.
Bubble Football as a Business Idea
Thousands of operators around the world have built a profitable hire or events business around bubble football. The cost of getting started is modest, margins hold up well and customers rebook. Our Start a Bubble Football Business guide takes you through the lot — initial outlay, pricing strategy, marketing and insurance.
Bubble Football at Any Age
With junior-sized suits (1.2 m, for children of roughly 7–12 who are about 1.20–1.60 m tall) and lightweight TPU options, bubble football is now accessible to virtually every age group. Schools, youth clubs and family entertainment centres are among the fastest-growing customer segments for Bubble Allstars. Our Kids guide explains how to adapt the game for younger players safely.
Getting Started Today
Whether you want to buy a single pair of suits for backyard fun or outfit a full commercial fleet, Bubble Allstars offers flexible packages, delivery across Europe (typically 14–20 working days) and expert consultation. Browse the articles below to deepen your knowledge, then request a personalised quote — we respond within 24 hours.
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