One ball, two teams, two goals, four seconds.

Smolball is easy to understand, quick to learn, fun from the very first minute, and keeps everyone on their toes the whole time. It’s not brute strength that leads to victory, but sheer speed, superb ball control, quick feet, and sharp teamwork.

Here’s how the game starts

The game starts with a jump ball in the center of the field—two players, sticks on the ground, one meter apart—then both fight for the first touch of the ball. After a goal, the ball is back in play within 4 seconds. The pace stays fast and the excitement builds—that’s exactly what makes Smolball so thrilling.

The Rule of 4:

• The ball may be touched 4 times before it must be passed.
• You are allowed to take 4 steps with the ball on your club.
• The ball may be held on the club for 4 seconds without moving.
• Goalkeepers may hold the ball for 4 seconds.

This “rule of four” is at the heart of Smolball: It’s easy to remember, encourages smart passing, and fosters true teamwork. It’s easy to get started, but hard to stop.

Who’s in?

Everyone! However, to keep the game fast-paced and dynamic, we intentionally limit the number of active players on the field. To make sure no one gets winded and everyone gets as much playing time as possible, we constantly make substitutions on the fly.

Safety is a priority

Smolball is very fast-paced and intense—the racquets and accessories developed specifically by Smolball ensure that the game always remains safe.

Tie the racket to your wrist—and let’s get started!

How it all began…

A flashback to the 1970s: Janusz Smolinski takes the stage. A sports-loving student comes up with the idea of playing “team tennis on goals—soccer and hockey with rackets.” His fellow students laughed at the idea—but as the saying goes, he who laughs last laughs best.

Later, he came to Switzerland as a soccer coach and physical education teacher and put his “Team Tennis” idea into practice—after his students had enjoyed playing it so much. But an idea alone doesn’t make a game: it also had to be safe and fun. So he put a lot of work into the equipment. The rackets were given a unique design, technical improvements, and a special foam band—a Smolball invention. He also added a safety strap to ensure the racket wouldn’t slip out of the player’s hand, even in the heat of the moment. Janusz then refined the rules, and what had started as wild, chaotic fun evolved into a fast-paced, well-thought-out team game. Some knew it as “Smoliball” or “Tenniball”—today it’s called Smolball.