Footvolley Rules for Europe and the US Tour

Footvolley is beach volleyball played with soccer touches and no hands. At Wildcard Sport, we research emerging court sports from federation rulebooks and official governing bodies. Two players per side pass the ball across a high net.

How Footvolley Works

Official matches feature two players on each side of the net. A 4v4 variant also exists under Rule 4 of the European Footvolley League Official Rules 2025. Teams must return the ball across the net before it contacts the sand.

Each team receives up to three touches per possession. A fourth touch creates a four hits fault that awards the rally to the opponents under Rule 9.1. One player cannot touch the ball twice consecutively.

Players may strike the ball with any part of the body except the hands, arms, and forearms under Rule 9.2.1. Contacting the ball with an arm immediately ends the rally. The referee awards that point to the opposing side.

Court Dimensions and Net Heights

A regulation footvolley court measures 52.5 by 26.2 feet (16 by 8 m). That divides into two square halves.

Rule 1.1 requires a free zone of at least 9.8 feet (3 m) on all sides. Official competitions expand this free zone to at least 16.4 feet (5 m).

Net heights vary according to the competition category defined in Rule 2.1.1. The men's division requires a net set at 7.22 feet (2.20 m). The women's net stands at 6.89 feet (2.10 m), while the 4v4 variant uses 6.56 feet (2.00 m).

The Ball and Its Pressure

Regulation matches require an official ball measuring 26.8 to 27.6 inches (68 to 70 cm) in circumference. Rule 3 specifies an official weight between 14.5 and 15.5 ounces (410 to 440 g).

The European Footvolley League (EFVL) requires an internal pressure between 2.48 and 3.21 pounds per square inch (171 to 221 mbar).

Serving and Net Faults

The serve must be struck with the foot from the ground inside the service zone. Rule 12 grants the server 8 seconds to kick the ball after the referee whistles. Exceeding that 8-second limit forfeits the rally.

Under Rule 14.1, blocking a serve is not allowed.

Contact with the net during play is strictly penalized. Rule 11.3.1 states that touching the net between the antennas during play is a fault.

Scoring in Different Competitions

Match scoring varies between the European league's rules and the US Pro Footvolley Tour as reported in 2015. The European Footvolley League Official Rules 2025 use rally-point scoring in best-of-one or best-of-three set matches. Standard sets are played to 18 points, requiring a two-point margin to win.

Deciding sets use a shortened finish. If teams split the first two sets, the deciding third set is played to 15 points under Rule 6.3.

The American professional circuit adopted an alternative framework. As reported by WLRN in December 2015, Pro Footvolley Tour games were won at 21 points. That system also rewarded an aggressive attacking maneuver with bonus scoring.

The Shark Attack and the Sand Mound

A shark attack is an over-the-net spike struck with the foot. The attacker leaps at the net and drives the ball downward into the sand. WLRN reported in December 2015 that a scoring shark attack earned two points on the American tour.

WLRN also reported that servers tee up the ball on a mound of sand before kicking it across.

European vs US Rules

The European Footvolley League operates under official 2025 codification, while United States tour rules reflect reporting from 2015.

Rule parameter	European Footvolley League (2025)	Pro Footvolley Tour (2015 report)
Team size	2 players (or 4 in variant)	2 players
Standard set or game target	18 points (win by 2)	21 points
Deciding set target	15 points	Not recorded in report
Match structure	Best of 1 or best of 3 sets	Single games to 21 points
Serve technique	Struck from ground within 8 seconds	Kicked from sand mound
Shark attack scoring value	No separate value listed	2 points for scoring attack
Maximum touches	3 touches per side	3 touches per side

Both formats enforce the standard three-touch ceiling per side. The primary divergence lies in scoring targets and the bonus awarded for attacking spikes. European regulations prioritize set play, whereas the 2015 American tour report focused on single 21-point games.

Where Footvolley Came From

The European Footvolley League history credits Octavio de Moraes with creating footvolley in 1965 at Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, though it notes not everybody agrees. It says football was not allowed near the beach, so the game was played on a beach volleyball court.

Reporting from WLRN in December 2015 says the sport began in Brazil about half a century earlier. Brazilian cities including Recife, Salvador, and Brasília hosted competitive games during the 1970s.

Footvolley reached Europe through Portugal in the 1980s. Since 2000, the sport has gained popularity in Europe and Asia, and 16 European nations now have footvolley associations.

The league's history also notes a 2009 soft-drink advertising campaign in which Frank Lampard, Kaká, Thierry Henry, Fernando Torres and Lionel Messi played footvolley.

Footvolley in the United States

Promotion in the United States is led by the Pro Footvolley Tour, which bills itself as the "World's #1 Footvolley Professional Tour." In December 2015, WLRN reported that Sergio Menezes, a Brazilian-American from Miami Beach, served as tour president.

That 2015 report recorded up to 50 active teams. WLRN listed events in Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach, Florida.

In 2026, the Pro Footvolley Tour announced an 8-event National Series. Billing itself as the "Home of Team USA," the tour lists municipal partners Miami Beach and Hollywood City. Florida competition stops include Hollywood Beach and Hallandale Beach.

Competitive events also expanded to the Mid-Atlantic region. A report from WMDT covered the 2026 Nations Cup held from July 30 to August 2, 2026, in Ocean City, Maryland. Sergio Menezes served as tour Chief Executive Officer (CEO) during the event.

The Ocean City tournament was free. National teams included the United States, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. The Pro Footvolley Tour reported that England won the 2026 Nations Cup.

In the United States, "footvolley" draws 1,000 US searches a month (Semrush, October 2026).

Similar Sports to Try

Players interested in non-racket court disciplines can explore similar athletic concepts in teqball or sepak takraw. For another sand game, see beach tennis. You can also explore our guide to padel rules or browse the broader new sports guides.

Use our new sport quiz to find one that suits your preferred court surface. Find a sand court, set a volleyball net, and start practicing with a partner today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was footvolley invented?

The European Footvolley League credits Octavio de Moraes with creating footvolley in 1965 at Copacabana, Brazil, though it notes not everybody agrees. The league says it was played on a beach volleyball court because football was not allowed near the beach. A December 2015 report from WLRN also states that the sport originated in Brazil about half a century earlier.

What is a shark attack in footvolley?

A shark attack is an offensive spike executed with the foot directly over the net. The attacking player jumps above the net line and drives the ball down into the opponent's court. In a December 2015 report by WLRN on the Pro Footvolley Tour, a scoring shark attack was worth two points instead of one.

How many players are on a footvolley team?

Standard footvolley teams feature two players on each side of the net. The official 2025 European Footvolley League rules also codify a 4v4 variant with four players per team. In both formats, teams receive up to three touches per side, and no single player may strike the ball twice consecutively.

Is footvolley in the Olympics?

No source we cite records Olympic recognition for footvolley. Sixteen European nations have footvolley associations, and the Pro Footvolley Tour runs events in the United States. International competitions include events such as the 2026 Nations Cup in Ocean City, Maryland.

Is footvolley a real sport?

Footvolley is an organized competitive sport with formalized international rules and professional tours. The European Footvolley League maintains official rulebooks governing net heights, ball dimensions, and rally scoring. In North America, the Pro Footvolley Tour organizes an 8-event National Series and international tournaments like the 2026 Nations Cup.

Where is footvolley popular?

Footvolley began in Brazil, and the European Footvolley League says it has gained popularity in Europe and Asia since 2000. Originating in Brazil in 1965, the sport spread to Recife, Salvador, and Brasília in the 1970s before reaching Europe through Portugal in the 1980s. In the United States, active competition hubs include South Florida beaches such as Miami Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Pompano Beach.

How high is a footvolley net?

Under official 2025 European Footvolley League rules, a men's footvolley net is set at 7.22 feet (2.20 m). The women's net is set at 6.89 feet (2.10 m). For the 4v4 variant, the regulation net height is 6.56 feet (2.00 m).

Footvolley Rules in Europe and the US