The official bubble soccer rules from the BBA below are quite simple and are intended to allow your organization to play and keep players and equipment safe. Bubble soccer is a novice game for anyone getting inside a bubbleball. Rules are kept simple to allow people to experience running and bumping in bubbleballs but are not designed for bubble soccer to be a serious, competitive sport. Bubble soccer is a beginners game that allows for a wide range of people with varying athletic skills to play.

Objective

• To win the most points by scoring the most goals.

Scoring

• A bubbleballer scores a goal by kicking the ball into the net

Players

• 5 bubbleballers per team + 2-3 subs
• Substitutions made on the fly any time or during stoppage of play
• There is no goal keeper

Length of Game

• Four 10 minute quarters or two 15 minute halves (Players appreciate the breaks)
• Time is not stopped for out of bounds but only for time outs and injuries
• Three 2 minute time outs available for each team

Field

• The playing field is an outdoor small soccer field or indoor gym
• The length of the field is marked by boundary lines

Equipment

• Bubbleball x 10 + 2-4 extras
• Knee pads (optional)
• Soccer ball x 3 (referee will always carry 2nd ball in hand to put on field when ball goes out of bounds)
• Small goals x 2

Rules

• Ball placed at center field to begin with all bubbleballers at least 10 feet away from center but no more than 20 feet. (Players should NOT line up at the baseline as some videos show or other rules may suggest. Extensive head on runs from long distances may increase the chance of damage to your equipment.)
• Bubbleballer can not hold and run with ball in hand
• When ball goes out of bounds, referees will throw ball back in play
• There are no offside rules

Fouls, Violations, Penalties

Fouls and warnings may be called for the following. The referee may elect to give a 2 minute penalty to a player, in which case they must sit out like in hockey.

• Holding of ball
• Illegal hit
  • Player can not knock down player without ball
  • Preventing a bubbleballer from getting up
• Illegal tackle
  • Tripping
  • Grabbing
  • Kicking
• Illegal score
  • Bubbleballer can not score with hands
• Delay of game
• Player misconduct

Officials

• 1 referees
• 2 sideline referees (recommended on open surfaces where soccer balls may go off field a lot. Assists in passing extra ball to main referee)

BBA Official Bubble Soccer Rules

The bubble soccer rules above were created by the BubbleBall Association of America and last updated July 2016