Bubble football is the sport of playing football while the upper body is encased in a transparent inflatable bubble, similar to a zorb.
The same rules of normal football apply, with teams looking to score into their rival team’s goal, though the game is given added complication due to the presence of the bubble.
Players will bounce off each other when competing for the ball, which for most people is the main aim of the game, with players deliberately colliding with their opponents like bumper cars in order to send them sprawling across the pitch. It can be played indoors or outdoors, usually on Astroturf or all-weather pitches, with around six players per side.
It has become a popular activity for stag/bachelor parties, birthdays and corporate team building days.
The game was invented in 2011 as a joke by Norwegian comedians Henrik Elvestad and Johan Golden, appearing on their comedy talkshow ‘Golden Goal’.
Clips of the game were posted online and immediately began to attract attention elsewhere across the globe. By 2014 it was being played across the world from New Zealand to the United States, where it is often called bubbleball.
As well as football, a number of alternative games can be played while wearing the bubbles. This includes bubble bowling, which sees a group of players stand as ‘pins’ while another player charges into them in attempt to knock as many over as possible.
Bubble sumo sees two players enter a circle drawn on the ground and attempt to knock each other out of bounds while bubble bulldog sees one player (the bulldog) attempt to knock opponents over as they attempt to run from one side of the pitch to the other.
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How much does bubble football cost?
In the UK, Bubble ball costs between £15 and £25 per person depending on the amount of players and how long you want to play for. A typical package usually includes use of the pitch for an hour, use of 10 bubbleballs, goals, footballs and a trained referee for around £250. There are often other added extras available for a small fee including prizes, team photos, refreshments and professional recording of the matches.
The cost in the United States is similar, with a typical package consisting of an hour’s play with 10 bubbleballs, footballs, bibs and a referee costing $300.
