Floorball rules & all information about floorball (2023)

What is floorball?

Floorball, also known as floorball, is an indoor team sport. Each player has a floorball stick. The aim of the game is to use the stick to shoot the small, holey, hollow plastic ball into the opponent's goal. The team with the most goals wins the game!

Differences large field - small field

The rules differ in floorball between large and small fields. In Germany, regional and national championships, as well as most clubs, are played on small pitches. The "big field variant" is known as the premier class of this sport and has been played for many years in countries such as Sweden, Norway and Switzerland with great public resonance. For several years there has also been a Bundesliga in Germany, in which only large pitches are played.

The playing field

As with floorball rules, there are differences in the dimensions of the playing field.

The size of the playing field corresponds to that of a handball field and is 40 x 20 meters. The small field is a little smaller, namely 28 x 14 meters. Accordingly, the sport, whether large or small, can be played excellently indoors. The playing field is surrounded by a 50 cm high barrier, which serves as a fall space. The gangs may also be actively used for passes. The corners of the playing field are rounded. So-called "exchange zones" are available for exchanging players. These measure 6 meters in the small field and 10 meters in the large field.

At each end of the playing field there is a goal, which is 115 x 160 x 65 cm in the large field as well as in the small field variant. The goal is surrounded by a 3 x 4.5 meter "goal area" which marks how far the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with his hands, similar to soccer. In the case of the large field, this is somewhat larger, namely 4 x 5 metres. In front of the goal is a shelter, which the field players are not allowed to enter. It measures 1 x 2.50 m. Small goals are either painted white or red and mostly foldable, while the goals in the large field are fixed.

The goal itself is similar to an ice hockey goal and just like ice hockey, the goal is set back from the back wall - 2.35 meters for the small court and 2.85 meters for the full court to be exact. So it is possible and allowed for the players to play behind the goal.

The game time

• A game has 3 periods of 20 minutes each with two 10 minute breaks. In the small field it is one game section less, which also shortens the breaks by 5 minutes
• The time is effectively measured on the large field, which means that the time is always stopped in the event of interruptions due to fouls or the like, this is not the case on the small field
• Sides are switched after each period of play
• Each team has 1 timeout per game. At kick-off, play will resume where it was stopped
• If there is a tie after the regular playing time, there is 10 minutes overtime for the large field and only 5 for the small field
• If the score is still tied after extra time, 5 players from each team are allowed to take penalty kicks to decide the game

The teams

• The two teams each consist of 3 field players in the small field and 5 in the large field and a goalkeeper. 14 players from each team may register for each game. Since a larger "playing area" is available in the large field, the maximum number of players here is 20
• All players have a floorball stick, except for the goalkeeper
• The goalkeeper is protected with a helmet, gloves and leg, elbow and chest pads. However, his equipment must not increase his defensive area. He may touch and throw the ball within the goal area.

The ball

A floorball ball is a hollow, perforated plastic ball (26 holes in total). Usually he is white. It also has a diameter of 72 mm and weighs 23 grams.

The stick

A floorball stick is much smaller than an ice hockey stick, but it also consists of a shaft and a blade. The stem is usually made of carbon fiber, fiberglass, or composite. If you are right-handed, the stock should generally point to the right, as this is the side that is used to swing and shoot. A strap is often attached to the top of the stock for a firmer grip.

When it comes to floorball sticks, people often talk about the "flex value". This value indicates the elasticity of the stick. The hardest stick has a flex value of 23 mm, the softest one of 36 mm. Children typically start with a high flex score, while adults play with a low flex score.

The shovel at the end of the stick may be curved by a maximum of 30 cm and, unlike the ice hockey stick, has holes. This makes it easier to control stick and ball.

The stick should go up to the player's navel. The table on the left gives you an approximate idea of ​​how long the stick should be.

game rules

• The ball must be played below the knee (except when shooting at goal)
• The shovel should generally remain below the hips
• Hard physical contact is not allowed, light physical contact while fighting for the ball is allowed
• It can be changed at any time and indefinitely. The goalkeeper may also be substituted for a field player. The new player may enter the field as soon as the old player is on his way across the board
• Only the team captain may discuss with the referee
• 2 referees whistle the game

Faceoff, impact, free kick & penalty shot

In floorball there are 3 situations where the ball is replayed - face-off, knock-in and free-hit.

Bully: A face-off occurs whenever a period of play begins or a goal has been scored. To do this, 2 players from each team stand opposite each other on the center line, their sticks to the right and left of the ball. As soon as the whistle sounds, they try to win the ball. The other players must be on their respective half of the field and keep a distance of at least 2 or 3 meters. A face-off is also called when play is stopped without a free hit or penalty being called - for example, when a goal is postponed, the boards are moved or a player is injured. This is then carried out at the next "face-off point". A goal may be scored directly with a face-off.

A hit: The ball is out of bounds when it leaves the field of play or touches objects above the field of play (e.g. the ceiling). The team that last touched the ball gets the ball. The impact is carried out a maximum of 1 or 1.5 meters from the fence where the ball left the field. All opponents must keep a minimum distance when executing. The ball must be hit, it may not be lifted or guided. It is also allowed to shoot directly at the goal.

free kick: For an offense, the offending team will be awarded a free hit - provided they have no advantage if play were to continue normally. In this case, the advantage rule applies. A free kick may be awarded for the following offences, among others:

1. An opponent's stick is blocked, lifted, kicked, etc.
2. The cane is raised above waist height
3. Hard physical contact against opponents or field elements
4. Push, shove or kick - except shoulder to shoulder
5. Holding an opponent's staff
6. Ball-foot contact above knee height or two ball-foot contacts in a row
7. Stick is placed between an opponent's feet or legs
8. Field player enters the shelter - if this affects the course of the game
9. The goalkeeper leaves the goal area when throwing the ball
10. The goalkeeper throws/shoots the ball off the field
11. The goalkeeper keeps the ball for more than 3 seconds
12. Intentionally passing a field player to your own goalkeeper
13. Intentional time delay

The free kick must always be taken where the offense was committed, but never beyond the imaginary extension of the goal line or closer than 3.5m to the protected area. In the small field, this distance is slightly smaller and is 2.5 meters. The executing team does not have to wait for the opposing team to set up a wall or for the referee's whistle to execute the free kick. However, the ball must be touched by a teammate before the executing player can touch the ball again.

penalty shot: If an offense was so serious that a team should have a direct scoring opportunity, a penalty shot will be awarded, e.g. if:

1. A direct scoring opportunity is prevented by an offense (provided the advantage rule does not apply)
2. The goal is intentionally moved to prevent a goal
3. A team intentionally playing with too many players to prevent a goal

A penalty kick is kicked off from the middle of the field, just like in ice hockey, from where the attacker runs to score a goal. The player must always move forward and may touch the ball as many times as he wants. All other players must be in the substitution area while the penalty kick is being taken. The goalkeeper must be on the goal line when the penalty kick is kicked off, but may then move towards the attacker. As soon as the goalkeeper touches the ball, the attacker is no longer allowed to play it.

Time penalties and reprimands

As in other sports, time penalties can be imposed in floorball if the player's offense was sufficiently serious. If a time penalty is imposed, the penalized player must leave the field of play and may not be replaced. So the team plays with one player less. Both 2- and 5-minute floorball penalties can be assessed, depending on how serious the offense was.

2-minute penaltiesare awarded for the offenses already mentioned if the offense is considered serious by the referee.

5-minute penaltiesare awarded for violent or dangerous hitting with the stick, attacking the body with an opponent's own body/stick, or throwing equipment to affect the ball.

No more than one time penalty may be measured at the same time per team. However, if more than one player is serving a time penalty at the same time, the team may still play with three players. In the large field, one more player is allowed.

In floorball, a time penalty is only imposed when the "innocent" team is no longer in control of the ball. In this way, a goal can be scored by the innocent team without the game being interrupted, despite an offense that entails a time penalty.

If a team scores while they are outnumbered, the opposing team's 2-minute penalty will be nullified. This does not apply to 5-minute penalties. Therefore, if the 2-minute penalty was awarded in combination with a penalty kick and a goal is scored, the 2-minute penalty is canceled immediately.

A player can also have one10-minute penaltyfor unsportsmanlike conduct, including if:

1. He questions the referee or insults him or a player
2. Faking an injury to the referee to gain an advantage
3. He intentionally kicks the band or the gate
4. He throws the stick or other equipment around in anger

A personal 10 minute penalty always incurs a 2 minute penalty for the team. After 2 minutes, another player is allowed back onto the field to replace the missing player. 10-minute penalties are not canceled if the opposing team scores a goal.

Where can I play floorball in Germany?

Floorball has grown steadily in Germany in recent years. According to the DOSB inventory, floorball grew from 10,961 members to 11,968 members between 2015 and 2016.

There are a total of 12 state associations with over 192 clubs, all under the umbrella organization "Floorball-VerbandDeutschland e.V." to get managed. So there are plenty of opportunities to play floorball in Germany. Here you will find the homepages of the national associations, so that you too can find a team that suits you:

Floorball Association Baden-Württemberg e.V. (FVBW)

Floorball Association Bavaria (FVB)

Floorball Association Berlin-Brandenburg e. V. (FVBB)

Bremer Floorball Bund e. V. (BFB)

Floorball Bund Hamburg e. V. (FBH)

Floorball Association Hessen (FVH)

Floorball Association Niedersachsen e. V. (FVN)

North Rhine-Westphalian Floorball Association e. V. (NWFV)

Floorball Association Rhineland-Palatinate / Saarland e.V.

Floorball Association Saxony e. V. (FVS)

Floorball Association Saxony-Anhalt e. V. (FVSA)

Floorballverband Schleswig-Holstein e. V. (FLV-SH)

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