Floorball
Indoor team sport invented in Sweden in the late 1960s.
Floorball is an indoor team sport played on a 40 by 20-meter court enclosed by boards, using a lightweight plastic ball and two goals. Each team has five outfield players and one goalkeeper, and the objective is to score more goals than the opposing team. The sport was invented in Sweden in the late 1960s, with basic rules established in 1979 and official rules first written in 1981. It is organized internationally by the International Floorball Federation (IFF) and has grown to include about 330,000 registered players worldwide as of 2022.
- invented
- Late 1960s in Sweden
- basic_rules_established
- 1979 in Sweden
- official_rules_written
- 1981
- governing_body
- International Floorball Federation (IFF)
- registered_players_as_of_2022
- 330,000
- court_dimensions
- 40 by 20 meters
- match_duration
- Three 20-minute periods
Lore & Background
Floorball originated as a schoolyard pastime in Sweden in the late 1960s. The basic rules were established in 1979, and official rules were first written down in 1981. The sport spread to Nordic countries and beyond, with the IFF founded in 1986. By 1990, floorball was recognized in seven countries, and by the first men's world championships in 1996, 20 nations played the sport. The IFF has 80 members as of 2025, with at least one national association on each continent except Antarctica.
Reader's Guide
Floorball's significance lies in its rapid international growth from a Swedish schoolyard game to a globally organized sport with 330,000 registered players by 2022. The IFF's recognition by the International Olympic Committee in 2008 and inclusion in the World Games since 2017 highlight its increasing legitimacy. The sport is most popular in countries where it developed longest, such as Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland, and is gaining traction in regions like North America, Asia, and Africa. Its structured rules, including three 20-minute periods and specialized sticks, distinguish it from other hockey variants. The biennial World Floorball Championships and club competitions like the Champions Cup showcase its competitive depth. Floorball's legacy includes fostering international cooperation through the IFF's 80 member nations and its potential for future Olympic inclusion, though as of 2024 no plans have been announced.
Did You Know?
- Floorball is also known as salibandy in Finland and innebandy in Sweden and Norway.
- The IFF was founded in 1986, when the sport was played mostly in Nordic countries, parts of Europe, and Japan.
- Floorball has been included in the World Games since the 2017 edition in Wrocław.
- The first men's world championships in 1996 had a sold-out final of 15,106 people at the Globen in Stockholm, Sweden.
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