BIRDBALL · 25.4.2023 · VERSION 1.0
Rules of the game
Original rules. Created by Teppo Lintula.
Quick rules
Paddle
Wood or plywood paddle shaped from a piece no larger than 305 × 125 × 12 mm. The grip may be taped but may not strike the ball.
Court
4.72 × 5.18 m. Net height 155 cm at the sides and 152.4 cm at the centre.
Serve
Serve from behind the back line, contact below the hips, both feet on the ground. Net contact is allowed if the ball crosses.
Strokes
Hit the ball directly from the air. Contact must be below net height.
Scoring
Players alternate strokes. Every rally earns a point. Games to 11, win by two. First to three games wins the match.
Faults
The ball lands out, is struck too high, or touches a player’s body.
Complete rules
Based on version 1.0 dated 25 April 2023, reformatted for the web. Missing clauses 13–16 of the original document have not been invented or supplemented.
Definitions
Player – a person playing BirdBall.
Match – competition between two sides with one or two players per side.
Singles / doubles – one / two players on each side.
Rally – a sequence of strokes beginning with a serve and ending when the ball is no longer in play.
1. Court and net
The court is 4.72 m wide and 5.18 m long; each half is 2.59 m long.
Boundary lines are 40 mm wide and count as part of the court; white or yellow is preferred.
The top of the net is 152.4 cm high at the centre and 155 cm at the sides. The net is 760 mm tall and at least 5.0 m wide.
Net posts are placed at the midpoint outside the sidelines; no gaps may remain between net and posts.
2. Ball
The ball is a competition floorball approved by the Finnish Floorball Federation.
3. Paddle
The paddle is shaped from a piece of wood or plywood no larger than 305 × 125 × 12 mm. Wood species is unrestricted.
The grip may be taped provided thickness does not exceed 25 mm. Contact with the ball on the taped area is a fault.
4–5. Equipment and toss
The governing association has final authority over equipment compliance.
The winner of the toss chooses to serve, receive or select a side; the other side makes the remaining choice.
6. Scoring
A match is won by the player or pair winning three games unless otherwise specified.
A game is played to 11, with a two-point margin. At 19–19, the next point wins (20-point cap).
Every rally awards one point. The winner of a game serves first in the next game.
7. Changing ends
Players change ends between games. If missed, the change is made at the next stoppage without changing the score.
8–9. Serving and singles
Serve upwards from behind the back line, contacting the ball below the waist. Both feet must touch the surface during the serve.
The serve must cross the net and land in the opponent’s court. The receiver may stand anywhere on their own half.
The serve starts with the first forward motion of the paddle. Missing the ball is a service fault.
The rally winner scores and serves next.
10–11. Faults and ball out of play
A fault occurs when the ball lands out, fails to cross the net, or hits the ceiling, a wall, a player or their clothing.
The ball may not be caught, carried or struck twice in succession by the same player.
The ball must not be struck above net height.
Touching the net or its supports during play is a fault. Obstructing or distracting the opponent is prohibited.
The ball is out of play when it touches the court, a fault occurs, or it hits the net and falls back on the striker’s side.
12. Breaks and conduct
A break of up to 120 seconds is allowed between games. Other interruptions are at the referee’s discretion.
Play must not be delayed unnecessarily. Coaching is allowed only when the ball is out of play.