{"id":1769,"date":"2018-04-12T05:17:06","date_gmt":"2018-04-12T05:17:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametablesonline.com\/blog\/?p=1769"},"modified":"2025-03-14T18:06:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T18:06:22","slug":"how-to-play-foosball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametablesonline.com\/blog\/how-to-play-foosball\/","title":{"rendered":"The Quick and Easy Guide on How to Play Foosball"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve 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<\/a> 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\u2019s called \u201cbaby foot\u201d in France, \u201ckicker\u201d in Germany, and \u201cfutbolito\u201d in Mexico.<\/p>\n

No matter where you are or what it\u2019s called, it\u2019s always fun to be able to jump in and play along, so here is a quick explanation of how to play foosball.<\/p>\n

What You Need to Play Foosball<\/h2>\n
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Close up of a foosball table<\/p><\/div>\n

To play foosball, you need 2-4 players, a foosball table<\/a>, 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 \u201ckick\u201d the ball into their opponent\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n

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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The Foosball Table: Technical Terms<\/h2>\n

The rods on the left side are known as the \u201cdefensive 3-bar\u201d and the \u201cdefensive 2-bar,\u201d named for their proximity to the goal and the number of players attached to each. Near the middle of the foosball table is the \u201cmidfield row,\u201d the bar with five players that most often receives the serve and sends it to the next row: the \u201cstriker row.\u201d This last bar is on the far right, closest to your opponent\u2019s goal, and holds three players. These are the players who will most often drive the ball into the goal.<\/p>\n

How to Play Foosball: The Official Rules<\/h2>\n
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The abacus is used to keep record of the score of both teams. These are located on each side of the table behind the goal to help you keep track of the score.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here is a summary of the official foosball rules, as stated by the International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF)<\/a>. These are the basic rules for how to play foosball, but for advanced exceptions and game play, reference the full official guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n