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Rules of Bossaball | How it is Played?

Bossaball is one of the modern sports that are yet to be recognized worldwide, nevertheless, it is becoming popular in European countries. It is a game played between two teams combining the elements of famous sports like Football, volleyball and a bit of gymnastics as well.

Bossaball is played on an inflatable court featuring a trampoline on each side of its net. It looks amusing because this trampoline allows the player to bounce high and then spike the ball over the nets.

Rules of Bossaball

It is still in a growing phase but countries like Saudi Arabia, Germany, Brazil, Romania and a few others have accepted it as an international sport and not only do they participate in Bossaball events but they also travel across the world to raise awareness of the sport. All these countries have their own respective Bossaball teams that represent them in international events.

Object of Playing Bossaball

As said earlier, this game combines the elements of multiple games, the object is the same as in those. Since the setting is like volleyball, the rules are the same as in it while the hitting method is a bit of football and a bit of volleyball.

You can use your hands, head or feet to hit the ball to the opposite side. Every time your opponent misses the ball you get a point and vice versa. The team that wins the most number of sets is declared winner. Every set ends when any team scores 25 points.

How to Play?

Bossaball is a team sport in which two teams compete against each other with each of them having his own side, the whole playing arena is divided by a net suspended in the middle. It is played on an inflatable court with a trampoline perched on each side. Teams score points by making their opponent miss the ball. The use of head, hands and feet is legal to hit the ball in an opponent’s area.

In Bossaball, there are rules regarding how many times you can touch the ball before sending it back to the opponent’s half and scoring can be confusing at times. To answer your every question, the point scoring and all rules regarding fouls have been discussed in detail below.

General Rules of Bossaball

  • It’s a mix gender sport and male and females can play together in a single game.
  • Teams can have 3-5 players, depending on the event.
  • When the ball is on your side, a player can hit the ball once with his hand and twice with his head or feet. This is true for every time the ball comes in your half.
  • Before sending the ball in the opponent’s half, a team can hit the ball 5 times and then you must hit the ball back. However, there are no restrictions, you can also send the ball to the opponent’s half on the first attempt.
  • Every set ends when one of the teams has scored 25 points and the set is named to that team.
  • Each Bossaball game consists of 3-5 sets and in the end the team with most set wins is declared winner.
  • Teams rotate their positions clockwise after every point so that every player from both sides gets the chance to play on the trampoline.

Time duration of a Bossaball Game

Bossaball games are played with a best of 3-5 set approach, and one set ends when a team reaches 25 points. There is no time limit but a typical Bossaball game can go on for 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the competitiveness of the game and the number of sets played.

Bossaball Playing Area

The Bossaball court can be of any size depending on the level of players participating in it. However, usually, it is 50 yards in length and 30 yards in width.

Net can be adjusted between 3 meter height or more or less, depending on what feels competitive and within the reach of players participating. There is a trampoline and floor area, both areas come into the play zone.

Bossaball Playing Equipment

A bossaball game is played with a similar ball to volleyball and there are no dimensions specified yet as the sport is still in the developing phase. The same is true for the net which too has no specifications yet.

Scoring in Bossaball

Scoring rules may vary in Bossaball as the game is yet to be brought under one banner where rules can be made the same for everyone. In general,

  • Whenever an opponent makes an error, goes against the laws of the game, the opposition gets a point.
  • With volley touch, if the ball lands on the trampoline, the opposition team gets one point.
  • With volley touch, when the ball is directly played on the opponent’s trampoline, the team gets 3 points.
  • With soccer touch, every time you send the ball in the opponent’s area and he misses it, you get 3 points.
  • With soccer touch, every time you send the ball on the trampoline you get 5 points.

Umpires

In bossaball, we don’t have typical umpires and referees but Samba referees who make calls and act as a Master of ceremonies, Drummer and DJ who play the music during the game.

Governing Body

The game is yet to be recognized internationally, only a few countries have national Bossaball teams. That’s why it doesn’t have a dedicated governing body yet.

National volleyball federations in respective countries work side by side with Bossaball teams. The federations made an attempt to take this game to the olympics but they were turned down. However, they are still eager to make this game part of the Olympics.