You’ve probably seen or played foosball before, but do you know the official rules for gameplay? This popular game, also called table soccer, was invented by Harold Thornton in 1921. He was inspired by his favorite English football team, Tottenham Hotspur, to create an easy game that families could play in their own homes. Foosball is now played all over the world, though it goes by many names. It’s called “baby foot” in France, “kicker” in Germany, and “futbolito” in Mexico.

No matter where you are or what it’s called, it’s always fun to be able to jump in and play along, so here is a quick explanation of how to play foosball.

What You Need to Play Foosball

Close up of a foosball table

To play foosball, you need 2-4 players, a foosball table, and a ball. Each player maneuvers 2-4 rods, controlling a total of 13 players per team. Players stand on opposite sides, twisting their rods to get their players to “kick” the ball into their opponent’s goal.

In a one-on-one game, a single player can go back-and-forth between his or her four rods. For a two-on-two game, teammates each take two rods and either play the role of defense or offense.
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Recently, GameTablesOnline.com received several inquiries for foosball tables with folding legs. Similar to Multi-Game Tables, foosball tables with folding legs are great because they are portable and allow you save space in your game room without having to down-size. Here are some of our top picks.

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Garlando OpenAir Folding Foosball Table – Indoor

Garlando OpenAir Indoor Folding Foosball Table – $1,264.99 with Free Shipping and Zero Sales Tax

The Garlando OpenAir Folding Foosball Table has collapsible legs that allow you to tuck your table away nice and neat. Both tables fold inward so that you have a compact table that sits within the dimensions of the main cabinet. The legs are reinforced with fiberglass to make them light-weight and heavy-duty. Set up is quick and easy and can be setup virtually anywhere inside your home. This portable foosball table normally retails at $1,805.00 but you can get it on sale at $1,264.99 from GameTablesOnline.com today!
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Brought to you by Great American, the Pro Series Foosball Table is the perfect addition to any sports bar, rec room, or even your own home game room. The Pro Series is built for true foosball players who know how to tell a quality table apart from a poorly built unit that will bend, warp, and break in less than a year. Made in the USA, the Pro Series is a remarkable foosball table that won’t disappoint.

Founded in 1990 by David Celani, the folks at Great American Recreation Equipment are well aware of quality workmanship. You see, David Celani ventured into foosball tables after building a successful cabinetry company. With this background in woodworking, Great American has become recognized as one of the best foosball manufacturers on the market. Listed among the likes of Garlando and Tornado, Great American’s Pro Series Table is built to last a lifetime.
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Table Football is a game that has been around for nearly a century. Dating back to the 1890’s of Victorian England, table football evolved during a Renaissance that witnessed the widespread invention of new games. During this period, games like croquet, snooker, and rugby also came about. Table football was just one of the many parlor games that become well known in the early 20th century.

The history of table football has been contested for several reasons. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact date it was invented because table football, aka foosball, has been claimed to been invented in several areas during a span 40 years. So what’s the true history of table football? Although there is much debate over the true origins, most enthusiasts credit the invention of table football to Harold Thornton patented the first game table back in 1921.

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