Soccer Table Games

Association football, known in the United States as soccer, is indisputably the world's most popular sport. Several table versions of the sport, known as "foosball" and "Subbuteo," are played in bars, pubs, video arcades and living rooms all over the world. Foosball consists of mini-players attached to spinning rods, while Subbuteo is played by flicking loose, weighted-pieces on a felt table.

Foosball

The word "foosball" originated from German (meaning football), but the table game is also known as table football, table soccer and bar football. The game consists of a wooden table, 4 to 5 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide by 3 feet high. The surface of the table is made out of hard, slick wood or plastic and is marked like a traditional soccer pitch, with a center line and two goals on opposite ends. The players are attached to spinning poles (four poles for each team) to make a total of 11-13 players per team. The poles alternate, to create an even distribution of players on the field. The ball is roughly the size of a ping pong (table tennis) ball and is made of solid wood.

Foosball Rules

The rules of foosball are simple: the object of the game is to score a goal in the opponent's goal. A game consists of nine balls; each played one at a time until a goal is scored. The first player to score five goals wins. One-on-one play consists of one player on each side of the table (each player is allowed to handle only his own four poles), while doubles play consists of two players on each side of the table (each player handles two poles). The poles must be kept under control and kept to a wrist flick; spinning is not allowed.

Subbuteo

Subbuteo is a table soccer game that is popular in European countries. It is also known as "table football" and "table soccer." The game consists of a felt soccer pitch, which is laid out flat over a table. The pitch is marked just like a regular soccer pitch, and each goal is equipped with a goalkeeper attached to a plastic rod, which is use to block opponent's shots. Unlike foosball, the players are unattached and are flicked -- using the index or middle finger -- to pass and shoot the wooden ball. The ball is over-sized, standing as tall as the actual players. Many Subbuteo field players are modeled after actual European football teams like Manchester United, Liverpool Football Club or AC Milan, and are equipped with realistic looking colors and uniforms.

Subbuteo Rules

Subbuteo is structured similar to actual association football rules. The game is played by two players (each representing a team) and consists of two 15-minute halves. The players flick their men to make contact with the ball and move into the opponent's half and score goals. A player must be within the shooting line -- set halfway between the opponent's goal and halfway line --to take a shot on goal. If the ball completely crosses the goal line, and is shot within the shooting line, the goal is valid. Players switch sides at halftime, and the player with the most goals at the end of the second half wins. In case of a draw, players play two additional three-minute halves to attempt to break the tie.