Footvolley vs Sepak Takraw Rules Compared

Footvolley and sepak takraw are different sports. Footvolley is a two-a-side sand game, and sepak takraw is a three-a-side hard-court game.

The European Footvolley League's 2025 rules set a 52.5 by 26.2 ft (16 by 8 m) court with a men's net of 7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m). The ISTAF 2024 Law of the Game uses a 44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m) court. Its men's net is 4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) at the center.

Sepak takraw uses a woven synthetic ball, and ISTAF's rules count a fault when an arm only supports a kick. The European Footvolley League's rules ban the hands, arms and forearms and allow every other part of the body.

Footvolley vs Sepak Takraw Side by Side

Footvolley and sepak takraw both use a kicked serve and a three-touch limit per side, and almost every measurement in their rulebooks differs. The figures cover footvolley's two-a-side game and sepak takraw's three-a-side Regu event. You can find other head-to-head matchups in our sport comparisons.

Rule	Footvolley	Sepak takraw (Regu)
Rulebook	European Footvolley League Official Rules 2025	ISTAF Law of the Game 2024, Regu
Surface	Sand	Hard court
Court size	52.5 by 26.2 ft (16 by 8 m)	44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m)
Court area (our calculation)	1,378 sq ft (128 sq m)	880 sq ft (81.74 sq m)
Clear space	At least 9.8 ft (3 m) on all sides, 16.4 ft (5 m) in official competitions	9.8 ft (3.0 m) beyond sidelines and baselines, no obstacles up to 26.2 ft (8 m)
Men's net	7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m)	4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) at center, 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) at posts
Women's net	6 ft 10.7 in (2.10 m)	4 ft 7.9 in (1.42 m) at center, 4 ft 9.1 in (1.45 m) at posts
Other net setting	6 ft 6.7 in (2.00 m) for 4v4	Not covered in the Regu rulebook (separate Double and Quad rulebooks)
Ball	68 to 70 cm circumference, 410 to 440 g	Woven synthetic fiber, 12 holes and 20 intersections when uncovered
Ball circumference	26.8 to 27.6 in (68 to 70 cm)	Men 16.1 to 16.9 in (41 to 43 cm), women 16.5 to 17.3 in (42 to 44 cm)
Ball weight	14.5 to 15.5 oz (410 to 440 g)	Men 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g), women 5.3 to 5.6 oz (150 to 160 g)
Players per side	2, with a 4v4 variant	3
Named positions	None listed in the rules cited here	Tekong (server), Left Inside, Right Inside
Touch limit	3 per side, no player twice in a row	More than 3 in succession is a fault
Banned body parts	Hands, arms and forearms	Arm contact, plus a hand or arm supporting a kick
Serve	Kicked from the ground in the service zone within 8 seconds	Kicked by the Tekong, non-kicking foot in the service circle
Set length	18 points, win by 2 (deciding set to 15)	15 points, target rises to 17 at 14-14
Match length	Best of one or best of three	Best of three, two-minute breaks

The court areas are our arithmetic: 16 × 8 = 128 sq m, and 13.4 × 6.1 = 81.74 sq m. Dividing 81.74 by 128 shows the sepak takraw court covers about 64 percent of the footvolley court's area.

Court Size and Net Height

A sepak takraw court is smaller than a footvolley court in both directions. It is 44 ft (13.4 m) long against 52.5 ft (16 m), and 20 ft (6.1 m) wide against 26.2 ft (8 m). By our arithmetic, that is 8.5 ft (2.6 m) shorter and 6.2 ft (1.9 m) narrower.

Each rulebook also asks for open space around the lines. The European Footvolley League's Rule 1.1 sets a free zone of at least 9.8 ft (3 m) on all sides, rising to 16.4 ft (5 m) in official competitions. ISTAF's Article 1.5 sets a 9.8 ft (3.0 m) clear zone beyond the sidelines and baselines.

ISTAF's Article 1.1 adds a height rule for sepak takraw. The space must stay free of obstacles up to 26.2 ft (8 m) above the floor.

Adding those zones to the court gives the full footprint. By our calculation, the European Footvolley League's 3 m free zone means a footvolley court needs 72.2 by 45.9 ft (22 by 14 m). At the 5 m competition minimum, it needs 85.3 by 59.1 ft (26 by 18 m).

ISTAF's 3.0 m clear zone means a sepak takraw court needs 63.6 by 39.7 ft (19.4 by 12.1 m), by the same arithmetic.

The footvolley net sits higher than the sepak takraw net. The European Footvolley League's Rule 2.1.1 sets it at 7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m) for men and 6 ft 10.7 in (2.10 m) for women. The 4v4 variant lowers it to 6 ft 6.7 in (2.00 m).

ISTAF's Article 3.5 measures the net at the center and at the posts. The center height is 4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) for men and 4 ft 7.9 in (1.42 m) for women. At the posts it is 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) for men and 4 ft 9.1 in (1.45 m) for women.

By our arithmetic, the footvolley net is 2 ft 2.8 in (0.68 m) higher than the sepak takraw center height. The gap is the same for the men's and women's nets.

The two rulebooks also treat the net area differently. In footvolley, touching the net between the antennas during play is a fault under The European Footvolley League's Rule 11.3.1. ISTAF's Article 11.3.2 faults any part of a player's body that crosses into the opponent's court, above or under the net.

ISTAF's Article 11.3.2 has one exception. A follow-through after an aerial kick or a block is allowed.

Surface is the other split. Footvolley is a sand game, and sepak takraw is played on a hard court. The European Footvolley League's history page says the first footvolley games used a beach volleyball court, because football was not allowed near the beach.

The Ball

The footvolley ball is larger than a men's sepak takraw ball and, by our arithmetic, more than twice as heavy. The European Footvolley League's Rule 3 sets it at 26.8 to 27.6 in (68 to 70 cm) around and 14.5 to 15.5 oz (410 to 440 g). Its pressure is 2.5 to 3.2 pounds per square inch (171 to 221 millibars).

Sepak takraw's ball is spherical and made of synthetic fiber in one woven layer. Without a rubber covering, it has 12 holes and 20 intersections. ISTAF's Articles 4.1 and 4.2 set the men's ball at 16.1 to 16.9 in (41 to 43 cm) around and 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g).

ISTAF's Articles 4.1 and 4.2 set the women's ball at 16.5 to 17.3 in (42 to 44 cm) around and 5.3 to 5.6 oz (150 to 160 g). By our arithmetic, that makes it 0.4 in (1 cm) larger around than the men's ball at each end of the range. It is also 0.7 oz (20 g) lighter.

By our arithmetic, the lightest footvolley ball (410 g) divided by the heaviest men's sepak takraw ball (180 g) is 2.3. The heaviest footvolley ball (440 g) divided by the lightest (170 g) is 2.6.

If you buy a ball for either sport, compare its listed circumference and weight with these ranges. Our footvolley guide and sepak takraw guide cover each sport on its own.

Team Size and Positions

Footvolley's standard format is two players per team, and sepak takraw's Regu has three. The European Footvolley League's Rule 4 also allows a 4v4 variant, which uses the 6 ft 6.7 in (2.00 m) net.

ISTAF's Article 5.1 calls each three-player side a "Regu." Articles 5.2 and 5.3 name the positions. The back player is the Tekong, who serves, and the two front players are the Left Inside and Right Inside.

ISTAF publishes separate 2024 rulebooks for Regu and Team Regu, Double and Team Double, and Quad and Team Quad events. Our sepak takraw figures come from the Regu book. Before you play a Double or Quad event, read the matching book on the ISTAF Law of the Game page.

Body Parts Allowed in Each Sport

Footvolley bans the hands, arms and forearms. Sepak takraw faults any ball contact with the arm. The European Footvolley League's Rule 9.2.1 allows any part of the body except the hands, arms and forearms.

ISTAF's Article 11.3.4 makes it a fault if the ball touches a player's arm. Article 11.1.9 adds a second fault: using a hand or arm to support a kick, even without touching the ball. A sepak takraw player can lose a point without the ball ever reaching the arm.

Both sports cap each side at three touches. In footvolley, a fourth touch is a "four hits" fault, and no player may touch the ball twice in a row under The European Footvolley League's Rule 9.1. In sepak takraw, ISTAF's Article 11.3.3 makes it a fault to play the ball more than 3 times in succession.

Serving Rules in Both Games

Both sports start each rally with a kicked serve. In footvolley, the server strikes the ball with the foot from the ground, from the service zone, within 8 seconds of the whistle. The European Footvolley League's Rule 14.1 bars the receiving team from blocking a serve.

The US version has its own serve. WLRN reported in December 2015 that the ball is teed up on a sand mound and kicked over the net. The receiving team then gets three touches.

In sepak takraw, the serve must be kicked, and the Tekong keeps the non-kicking foot inside the service circle. ISTAF's Article 1.4 sets that circle at an 11.8 in (0.3 m) radius, placed 8 ft (2.45 m) from the back line.

Under ISTAF's 2024 rules, service alternates after every point. Older rules still online work differently. ActiveSG, run by Sport Singapore, describes service changing after three consecutive points.

Scoring

Footvolley uses rally-point scoring, and sepak takraw's 2024 rules give the opponent a point for a fault by either side. Set lengths differ.

Under the European Footvolley League's Rules 6.1 to 6.3, sets run to 18 points and must be won by 2. A deciding third set runs to 15. A match is best of one or best of three sets.

ISTAF's 2024 Regu rules end a set at 15 points. At 14-14, the target rises to 17. A match is best of three sets, with two-minute breaks.

By our arithmetic, a straight-sets win takes at least 36 points in a best-of-three footvolley match. The same win takes at least 30 points in sepak takraw.

Scoring figures vary by rulebook version, so two guides can disagree. WLRN's 2015 report described US footvolley games won at 21 points. It also said a scoring "shark attack," a spike with the feet over the net, is worth two points.

Sepak takraw guides from before 2024 can print 21 as well. ActiveSG still describes sets to 21 points with a cap of 25. ISTAF's 2024 rulebook replaces that format with 15-point sets.

Origins and Rulebook Publishers

Sepak takraw has centuries-old roots, and footvolley's start date in our sources is 1965. ISTAF traces sepak takraw to the 15th-century Malay Archipelago. There, "sepak raga" kept a rattan ball aloft with the feet, head, knees and chest.

Sources disagree on the date. A Hangzhou city government page says the game is generally believed to have been played as early as the 9th century.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) lists sepak takraw at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, its debut there. Those Games ran from September 22 to October 7, 1990.

The European Footvolley League credits Octavio de Moraes with creating footvolley in 1965. The league's history page also notes that "not everybody agrees" on the Copacabana origin.

The same page says footvolley reached Europe via Portugal in the 1980s. It says the sport has gained popularity in Europe and Asia since 2000. The league counts 16 European nations with footvolley associations.

ISTAF publishes the sepak takraw Law of the Game. Every footvolley rule figure in our table comes from the European Footvolley League's 2025 rulebook.

Playing Each Sport in the US

The footvolley events listed here are in Florida and Maryland, and the public sepak takraw courts are in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Pro Footvolley Tour bills itself as the "World's #1 Footvolley Professional Tour." It lists an 8-event National Series in 2026, with events in Hollywood Beach and Hallandale Beach, Florida.

The 2026 Nations Cup ran July 30 to August 2, 2026, in Ocean City, Maryland. It was free to the public. Teams came from the UK, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and the US.

For sepak takraw, MPR News reported that St. Paul opened courts at two parks in September 2018. The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy calls them "the nation's first public sepak takraw courts."

The US also has a sepak takraw medal record. At the ISTAF 2022 World Cup in Daejeon, South Korea, held November 25 to 29, 2022, the US team won two gold medals.

Choosing Between Footvolley and Sepak Takraw

No source we used ranks one sport above the other. Pick by the rules and locations that suit you.

Pick footvolley if:

You want to play on sand.
You want a two-player team, with a 4v4 variant for bigger groups.
You want a 14.5 to 15.5 oz (410 to 440 g) ball and a 7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m) men's net.
You can reach the Florida tour stops in Hollywood Beach and Hallandale Beach, or Ocean City, Maryland, which hosted the 2026 Nations Cup.

Pick sepak takraw if:

You want a hard court of 44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m).
You want a three-player team with named roles: Tekong, Left Inside and Right Inside.
You want a 4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) men's net and a 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g) woven ball.
You can get to St. Paul's public courts.

If you want to use your arms, neither sport fits, because both rulebooks ban arm play. Try our new sport finder or browse the new sports guides instead. Our teqball vs sepak takraw comparison covers another matchup with sepak takraw.

At Wildcard Sport, we update this page when the European Footvolley League or ISTAF publishes new rules.

Pick one sport, then read its serving and arm rules in the footvolley rulebook or the ISTAF Regu rulebook before your first session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is footvolley the same as sepak takraw?

No, they are separate sports with separate rulebooks. Footvolley is a two-a-side sand game over a 7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m) men's net. Sepak takraw is a three-a-side hard-court game over a 4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) men's net, played with a woven synthetic ball. Both ban arm play and start rallies with a kicked serve.

Which has a higher net, footvolley or sepak takraw?

Footvolley has the higher net. Its men's net is 7 ft 2.6 in (2.20 m), and its women's net is 6 ft 10.7 in (2.10 m). Sepak takraw's center heights are 4 ft 11.8 in (1.52 m) for men and 4 ft 7.9 in (1.42 m) for women. By our arithmetic, the gap is 2 ft 2.8 in (0.68 m) in both cases.

Can you use your hands in footvolley or sepak takraw?

Not with the arms. Footvolley allows any part of the body except the hands, arms and forearms. Sepak takraw faults any ball contact with the arm. It also faults using a hand or arm to support a kick, even without touching the ball.

How many players are on a team in each sport?

Footvolley's standard format has two players per team, plus a 4v4 variant. Sepak takraw's Regu has three: the Tekong at the back, and the Left Inside and Right Inside at the front. ISTAF also publishes separate rulebooks for Double and Quad events.

How are footvolley and sepak takraw scored?

Footvolley sets go to 18 points, win by 2, with a deciding set to 15, under the European Footvolley League's 2025 rules. Sepak takraw's 2024 rules end a set at 15, with the target rising to 17 at 14-14, in a best-of-three match. Older sepak takraw guides print 21-point sets, and WLRN described US footvolley games to 21 in 2015.

Which sport came first?

Sepak takraw has the older roots. ISTAF traces it to a 15th-century Malay Archipelago game called sepak raga, and a Hangzhou city government page suggests the 9th century. The European Footvolley League credits Octavio de Moraes with creating footvolley in 1965, and notes that not everybody agrees on its Copacabana origin.

Is footvolley or sepak takraw in the Olympics?

We found no source that lists either sport as an Olympic event. Sepak takraw debuted at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, per the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Where can you play footvolley or sepak takraw in the US?

St. Paul, Minnesota, opened public sepak takraw courts at two parks in September 2018. For footvolley, the Pro Footvolley Tour's 2026 National Series lists events in Hollywood Beach and Hallandale Beach, Florida. Ocean City, Maryland, hosted the 2026 Nations Cup from July 30 to August 2.