Teqball vs Sepak Takraw Rules and Equipment Compared

Table, ball, touches and scoring from the two rulebooks.

By Jonathan West · Updated

Teqball is played over a curved table with a size 5 football. Sepak takraw uses a court, a net 59.8 in (1.52 m) high at the center for men, and a woven ball. On the rules, teqball vs sepak takraw starts from the same base in the Fédération Internationale de Teqball (FITEQ) and ISTAF rulebooks: no hands or arms, and up to three touches before the ball goes back. FITEQ sets teqball sets at 12 points in singles, doubles or mixed doubles, while ISTAF sets sepak takraw sets at 15 with three players a side.

We compared the two official rulebooks. Teqball's figures come from the Official Rules and Regulations of Teqball 2026, published by the Fédération Internationale de Teqball (FITEQ). Sepak takraw's figures come from the Law of the Game 2024, Regu edition, published by ISTAF.

For other head-to-head pages, including footvolley vs sepak takraw, see our sports comparisons.

Teqball vs Sepak Takraw Side by Side

The two rulebooks agree on the no-hands rule, the three-touch limit and best-of-three matches, and they differ on nearly every measurement.

Feature Teqball (FITEQ 2026) Sepak takraw (ISTAF 2024, Regu)
Playing surface Curved table, 9 ft 10 in by 4 ft 11 in (3,000 by 1,500 mm) without net Court, 44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m)
Surface area (our calculation) 48.4 sq ft (4.5 sq m) 879.8 sq ft (81.74 sq m)
Net height 5.5 in (140 mm) above the table 59.8 in (1.52 m) men, 55.9 in (1.42 m) women, at center
Overhead clearance 23.0 ft (7 m) minimum for official competition 26.2 ft (8 m) free of obstacles
Space around play Competition court at least 39.4 by 52.5 ft (12 by 16 m) 9.8 ft (3.0 m) clear zone beyond sidelines and baselines
Ball Size 5 football One woven layer of synthetic fiber
Ball weight 13.1 to 14.1 oz (370 to 400 g) Men 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g), women 5.3 to 5.6 oz (150 to 160 g)
Ball circumference 26.4 to 27.2 in (67 to 69 cm) Men 16.1 to 16.9 in (0.41 to 0.43 m), women 16.5 to 17.3 in (0.42 to 0.44 m)
Players per side 1 or 2 (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) 3 in the Regu format (separate Double and Quad rulebooks)
Body parts Anything except hands and arms Fault if the ball touches a player's arm
Touch limit 3 per return, unintentional touches count More than 3 in succession is a fault
Same body part twice Forbidden for consecutive touches and consecutive returns Not in Articles 11.3.3 or 11.3.4
Serve Tossed from the hand, struck in the air, two attempts Must be kicked
Service rotation Changes every 2 points Alternates after every point
Points per set 12 15, and the set goes to 17 at 14-14
Two-point margin Deciding set only, other sets can end 12-11 Not stated in the articles cited
Match length Best of three sets Best of three sets
Multi-sport games 2023 European Games (first appearance) Debuted at the 1990 Asian Games, Beijing

Imperial figures are our conversions from the metric rulebooks. The area rows are our calculation from the published dimensions.

Playing Surface and Net

Teqball is played over a single curved table, while sepak takraw is played across a net on a marked court. The FITEQ table measures 9 ft 10 in long and 4 ft 11 in wide (3,000 by 1,500 mm), or 5 ft 7 in (1,700 mm) wide counting the net. It stands 35.4 in (900 mm) tall including the net.

FITEQ specifies a curved playing surface made of High-Pressure Laminate (HPL). Its highest point is 29.9 in (760 mm) off the ground and its lowest is 22.2 in (565 mm), a drop of 7.7 in (195 mm) by our math. The lowest point is 58.7 in (1,490 mm) from the net.

The teqball net is 5.5 in (140 mm) high above the table, 0.8 in (20 mm) thick and 5 ft 7 in (1,700 mm) wide. FITEQ requires it to be permanently fixed.

FITEQ names three table classes:

  • TEQ One (Class A) for official FITEQ tournaments
  • TEQ Smart (Class B) for national and club tournaments
  • TEQ Lite (Class C) for amateur play

A sepak takraw court measures 44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m). ISTAF requires the space above it to be free of obstacles up to 26.2 ft (8 m). It also requires a 9.8 ft (3.0 m) clear zone beyond the sidelines and baselines.

ISTAF sets the sepak takraw net at 59.8 in (1.52 m) at the center for men and 55.9 in (1.42 m) for women. At the posts it is 61.0 in (1.55 m) for men and 57.1 in (1.45 m) for women. By our math, that puts the post height 1.2 in (3 cm) above the center height for both.

By our calculation from the FITEQ and ISTAF dimensions, the teqball table surface covers 4.5 sq m (48.4 sq ft) without the net. The sepak takraw court covers 81.74 sq m (879.8 sq ft), about 18 times the area of the table.

The gap narrows once you count the space around play. FITEQ's official competition court must be at least 39.4 by 52.5 ft (12 by 16 m), which is 2,067 sq ft (192 sq m) by our math. Add ISTAF's 3.0 m zone to every side of the court and the footprint becomes 63.6 by 39.7 ft (19.4 by 12.1 m). That is 2,527 sq ft (234.7 sq m), by our math.

Ball Size and Weight

Teqball uses a size 5 football, while sepak takraw uses a lighter, smaller ball woven from synthetic fiber. FITEQ specifies a circumference of 26.4 to 27.2 in (67 to 69 cm) and a weight of 13.1 to 14.1 oz (370 to 400 g). It also sets a pressure of 0.3 to 0.5 atmospheres at sea level.

ISTAF's ball is spherical and made of one woven layer of synthetic fiber. Without a rubber covering, it has 12 holes and 20 intersections.

ISTAF sets separate men's and women's specifications. The men's ball is 16.1 to 16.9 in (0.41 to 0.43 m) around and weighs 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g). The women's ball is 16.5 to 17.3 in (0.42 to 0.44 m) around and weighs 5.3 to 5.6 oz (150 to 160 g).

Comparing the extremes in the FITEQ and ISTAF specifications, a teqball ball weighs 2.1 to 2.4 times as much as a men's sepak takraw ball, by our math. Those figures come from 370 ÷ 180 and 400 ÷ 170. On circumference, the teqball ball is about 1.6 to 1.7 times larger (67 ÷ 43 and 69 ÷ 41).

Team Size and Match Types

Teqball can be played one against one, while ISTAF's main sepak takraw format puts three players on each side. FITEQ lists three match types: singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

In FITEQ doubles, a "no pass" gives the point to the opponent. A no pass means only one player touched the ball before the return, so both partners must touch it.

ISTAF's Regu rules describe a match between two groups called a "Regu," each of three players. ISTAF also publishes separate 2024 rulebooks for Double and Quad events.

By our count, a FITEQ singles match needs two players and doubles needs four. An ISTAF Regu match needs six.

Touches and Body Parts

In teqball, FITEQ allows any body part except the hands and arms, with a maximum of three touches per return. Unintentional touches count, so an accidental touch still uses one of the three.

FITEQ forbids consecutive touches with the same body part, so a player cannot head the ball twice in a row. It also forbids consecutive returns with the same body part. Holding the ball on or between body parts is forbidden too.

In sepak takraw, ISTAF makes it a fault to play the ball more than three times in succession (Article 11.3.3). It is also a fault if the ball touches a player's arm (Article 11.3.4).

Neither of those two ISTAF articles mentions a same-body-part limit like FITEQ's. For the full list of sepak takraw faults, read Article 11 of the ISTAF Regu rulebook.

Serve Rules

A teqball serve is tossed from the hand and struck in the air, while ISTAF requires a sepak takraw serve to be kicked. FITEQ allows one touch on the serve and 5 seconds to take it. The teqball service line is 11.5 ft (3.5 m) from the middle of the table.

FITEQ gives the teqball server two attempts, and two failures make a double fault. The second serve may not be struck with the hands, arms or feet.

FITEQ changes service every 2 points in teqball. ISTAF alternates service after every point in sepak takraw.

Scoring Systems

FITEQ runs teqball sets to 12 points and ISTAF runs sepak takraw sets to 15, and both rulebooks call for best of three sets. FITEQ requires a two-point margin only in the final, deciding set. Earlier sets can end 12-11.

ISTAF's 2024 rules give a point to the opponent on a fault by either side. A set is won at 15, and at 14-14 the set goes to 17.

By our math from the FITEQ and ISTAF set lengths, a teqball side that wins two sets at 12 scores at least 24 points, against at least 30 for a sepak takraw side winning two sets at 15. For a full walkthrough of the table game, see our teqball guide.

Governing Bodies and Competitions

Sepak takraw reached a continental multi-sport games first, debuting at the 1990 Asian Games, while teqball first appeared at the 2023 European Games. FITEQ was established in March 2017 and has its office in Budapest. FITEQ states that its aim is to guide teqball toward Olympic recognition, a goal rather than an achieved status.

Teqball was added to the 2023 European Games in Kraków-Małopolska for the first time. The program included men's and women's singles and doubles plus mixed doubles.

Sepak takraw debuted at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, according to the Olympic Council of Asia. ISTAF publishes its 2024 Law of the Game in three editions: Regu, Double and Quad.

Playing Each Sport in the US

The US National Teqball Federation was formed in July 2020. It reported over 60 registered clubs and 25+ official tournaments as of June 2021, by its own count.

For any newer teqball figures, see the US National Teqball Federation's page.

For sepak takraw, St. Paul, Minnesota opened courts at two parks in September 2018. The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy calls them "the nation's first public sepak takraw courts," according to MPR News. Our sepak takraw guide covers the sport in more depth.

Picking a Sport to Try

The choice comes down to format and space. Pick teqball if any of these fit:

  • You want to play one against one, since FITEQ includes singles.
  • You want mixed doubles written into the rules.
  • You want to play with a size 5 football.
  • You want sets to 12 and a serve tossed from the hand.

Pick sepak takraw if any of these fit:

  • You have six players for a three-a-side Regu match, or want ISTAF's Double or Quad formats.
  • You want a kicked serve.
  • You want a lighter woven ball with separate men's and women's specifications.
  • You want sets to 15 and service that alternates every point.

Neither sport suits a player who wants to use their hands, since both rulebooks penalize the arms. If that is you, browse our guide to new sports instead.

Our read would change if FITEQ or ISTAF publish a new edition that changes the touch limit, team sizes or set length. We update pages when rules or official specifications change. To narrow it down, take our new sport finder quiz.

Origins of Each Sport

Teqball was created in the early 2010s in Hungary, though sources differ on the exact year. A Polish Olympic Committee page says teqball was created in 2012. A December 2019 report published by Euronews put its first tournament about five years before that report.

ISTAF writes the name as one word, sepaktakraw, and describes it as a traditional sport that originated in Southeast Asia. ISTAF also says the sport combines elements of volleyball, soccer and martial arts.

To go further with either sport, start with our teqball guide or our sepak takraw guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Teqball the Same as Sepak Takraw?

No. Both ban the hands and arms and limit a side to three touches, but teqball is played over a curved table with a size 5 football. Sepak takraw is played on a 44 by 20 ft (13.4 by 6.1 m) court with a woven synthetic ball. FITEQ publishes the teqball rulebook and ISTAF publishes the sepak takraw rulebook.

Can You Use Your Hands in Teqball or Sepak Takraw?

No, apart from the teqball serve toss. FITEQ allows any body part except the hands and arms, and ISTAF makes it a fault if the ball touches a player's arm. Teqball's serve starts with a toss from the hand, while the sepak takraw serve must be kicked.

How Many Touches Are Allowed in Teqball and Sepak Takraw?

Three in both sports. FITEQ allows a maximum of three touches per return, counts unintentional touches and bans consecutive touches with the same body part. ISTAF makes it a fault to play the ball more than three times in succession.

What Ball Does Each Sport Use?

FITEQ specifies a size 5 football for teqball, weighing 13.1 to 14.1 oz (370 to 400 g). ISTAF specifies a spherical ball of woven synthetic fiber for sepak takraw. It weighs 6.0 to 6.3 oz (170 to 180 g) for men and 5.3 to 5.6 oz (150 to 160 g) for women. By our math, the teqball ball carries 2.1 to 2.4 times the weight of the men's sepak takraw ball.

How Is Teqball Scored Compared With Sepak Takraw?

FITEQ runs teqball sets to 12 points and ISTAF runs sepak takraw sets to 15, and both rulebooks call for best of three sets. In teqball, only the deciding set must be won by two, so earlier sets can end 12-11. In sepak takraw, a fault gives the opponent a point, and at 14-14 the set goes to 17.

Which One Is Easier to Set Up at Home or in a Club?

No source we cite ranks them for setup. The space figures differ widely, though. A teqball table surface covers 48.4 sq ft (4.5 sq m), and FITEQ classes the TEQ Lite table for amateur play. A sepak takraw court covers 879.8 sq ft (81.74 sq m) before ISTAF's 9.8 ft (3.0 m) clear zone.

Which Sport Has Been in Multi-Sport Games?

Both have. Sepak takraw debuted at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, according to the Olympic Council of Asia. Teqball first appeared at the 2023 European Games in Kraków-Małopolska, with singles, doubles and mixed doubles events.

Sources

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