A Brief History of the Rules
Bubble football — sometimes called zorb football or bumper ball — has no single governing body, so the rules shift from league to league and country to country. The sport first appeared in Norway in 2011 when comedians Henrik Elvestad and Johan Golden climbed into inflatable zorb-like suits on a football pitch. A comedy sketch turned into a genuine competitive format within a season or two. Early adopters improvised their rules, but by 2014 a handful of national associations had written down basic standards. Most organised leagues now play to broadly the same ruleset, and the guidelines below reflect the consensus used in tournaments across Ireland, mainland Europe, North America and Australia. For a casual match or a competitive league night alike, treat these rules as your reference point.
Standard Match Format
A standard bubble football match pits two teams of five against each other (four outfield players and a goalkeeper, though many casual games drop the keeper). The pitch is usually 25–30 metres long and 15–20 metres wide — about half the size of a five-a-side pitch. Matches are two halves of five to eight minutes with a two-minute break between them. Those short halves exist for a reason: running and bumping inside a suit takes it out of you. A coin toss settles who kicks off. The ball goes on the centre mark and play starts on the referee's whistle. After a goal, the side that conceded restarts from the centre. Substitutes, if you have them, come on at half-time or during stoppages at the referee's discretion.
Essential Playing Rules
Everyone bar the goalkeeper wears a properly inflated suit for the whole of play. The suit covers the player's torso and head, the arms come out through the side openings and the legs stay free for running and kicking. Bumping opponents with the suit is the point of the game — front-on, side-on and back-to-back contact all count as legal. What does not: charging a stationary player from behind, going for the legs below the suit, and using elbows, fists or the head outside the shell. If a player goes down and cannot right themselves, the referee stops play and team-mates lend a hand. The ball can be kicked, headed through the suit or deflected off the shell. Handball works as in standard football: deliberate use of arms or hands outside the suit gives away a free kick.
Fouls, Free Kicks and Penalties
The usual fouls are tripping, charging from behind, sliding tackles (banned outright in most games for safety) and loosening or removing the suit during play. A foul in the penalty area gives a penalty from six metres. Free kicks are indirect unless the referee judges the foul dangerous, in which case a direct free kick follows. Competitive leagues use yellow and red cards: two yellows make a red, and a red puts the player out for the rest of the half with no replacement. Recreational games usually replace cards with a sin bin of a minute or two.
Popular Game Variations
Flexibility is one of bubble football's great strengths. Last Man Standing is a free-for-all where players knock each other over until one is left standing. Bubble Sumo puts two players in a small circle and the first to shove the other out wins the round. Bubble Relay turns it into a team race, dribbling a ball through a cone course in full kit. Bubble Bowling lines up ten foam pins at one end of the pitch for a player to roll into. Capture the Flag brings in tactics, with each team raiding the other's zone for a flag while guarding its own. All of these go down well at corporate events and parties — our Planning Bubble Football Events guide has more on event formats.
Setting Up the Pitch
No professional sports facility required. Any flat, obstacle-free area of 20 × 15 metres or more will do the job — a community hall, a grass pitch, an all-weather or astroturf surface, even a large yard covered with rubber matting. Mark out the boundaries with cones or tape. Place two small goals (around 3 × 1.5 metres) at either end; pop-up goals fold away neatly. Walk the surface before kick-off and clear any stones, glass or sharp debris. Indoors, you want at least three metres of ceiling height so players can bounce upright in their suits. If you are unsure what setup suits your venue, Bubble Allstars includes free consultation with every quote.
Referee and Scorekeeping Tips
Put at least one referee on every match, two for competitive games. The referee applies the rules, starts and stops play, keeps time and records the goals. For casual games a phone timer and a whiteboard cover scorekeeping perfectly well. For tournaments, give someone the scorekeeping job outright and run a bracket or round-robin. Brief everyone on the key rules before the first whistle — two minutes of safety talk cuts incidents sharply and keeps the day moving.
Quick-Start Checklist
For a first bubble football match that goes well, run through this list: a flat, clear playing surface of at least 20 × 15 metres; every suit inflated to the recommended pressure (our Safety Tips & Maintenance guide covers this); goals up and boundaries coned off; a referee appointed and players briefed on the core rules; teams of five; two halves of six minutes; substitutes rotated at half-time; and above all, enjoy the thing. Planning something bigger with several matches back to back? Our Planning Bubble Football Events article goes through scheduling, logistics and promotion.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of bubble football?
The basic rules are those of five-a-side football, plus bumping. Two teams try to score in small goals. Players may bump opponents with the bubble from the front or side, but not from behind, not below the bubble and not while someone is down. A referee stops play whenever a player cannot get up.
How long is a bubble football match?
Usually two halves of five to eight minutes with a two-minute break. Halves are short because running inside a bubble is exhausting. For children, three to four minutes per half works better. Most events fit several matches and rotations into 60–90 minutes.
How big should a bubble football pitch be?
About 25–30 m long and 15–20 m wide for five-a-side, and never smaller than 20 × 15 m. The surface must be flat and free of stones or debris. Indoors you need at least 3 m of ceiling height. Small pop-up goals of roughly 3 × 1.5 m are ideal.
Do you need a goalkeeper in bubble football?
No. Competitive leagues often play four outfield players plus a keeper, but many casual games skip the goalkeeper and use smaller goals instead. That keeps everyone running and bumping, which is the whole point of the game.