Two players a side, a strip of sand, a net at head height, and a strict rule that your hands never touch the ball. That's footvolley, and once you've played it, ordinary beach games feel slow.
This guide explains what the sport actually is, how it's played, what you need to start, and how it differs from the beach circle game people often confuse it with.
What is footvolley?
Footvolley (futevôlei in Portuguese) is a beach sport that combines the court and scoring of beach volleyball with the touches of football. Two players face two players across a net, and the ball may be played with any part of the body except the hands and arms, feet, thighs, chest, shoulders and head.
It was born in Rio de Janeiro in the mid-1960s, on Copacabana beach, when footballers barred from playing on the sand started using volleyball courts instead. It spread through Brazil, then to Portugal, the United States, Australia, Morocco, Israel and beyond, and it now has an international federation and a professional circuit.
The rules, in plain English
- Court: a beach volleyball court, 9m × 18m, divided by a net.
- Net height: around 2.2m for men, 2.0m for women.
- Teams: two players per side (singles and 4v4 variants exist, but 2v2 is the standard).
- Touches: up to three per side before the ball must cross the net, and the same player may not touch it twice in a row.
- No hands, no arms. That single rule is what makes the sport what it is.
- Serving: with the foot, from behind the baseline.
- Scoring: sets are usually played to 18 points, win by two, best of three.
Everything else you learn on the sand.
Footvolley vs. altinha vs. beach volleyball
These three get mixed up constantly, so:
- Beach volleyball, hands only, over a net, competitive scoring.
- Footvolley, everything but the hands, over a net, competitive scoring.
- Altinha, everything but the hands, no net, no score. A circle of players keeping the ball off the sand for as long as possible. It is the social, endless, addictive cousin of footvolley, and it's where most players build their first touch.
If you're new, altinha is the easier entry point. We wrote a full guide to it: What is Altinha?
What you need to start
A proper ball
This is the one piece of gear that decides whether you enjoy your first session. A regular football is hard, stings on chest and head contact, and drinks seawater until it's heavy and dead. A footvolley ball is softer, sealed against water and sand, and played at lower pressure. Our full breakdown is here: How to choose a footvolley ball.
A net
Any beach volleyball net works. Set it a little higher than volleyball height and you're playing footvolley.
Nothing on your feet
Barefoot, always. Sand socks are the only common exception, for hot sand or shell-heavy beaches.
The first four touches to learn
- The thigh. The most forgiving surface on your body and the one that saves rallies. Learn to kill the ball's speed here first.
- The chest. Lean back, relax, let the ball drop, don't push into it.
- The shoulder. The signature footvolley touch. Great for setting your partner, and easier than it looks once you stop flinching.
- The header. Your main attacking option early on, and the fastest way to score a point that feels good.
The overhead bicycle-kick finish, the shark attack, comes much later. Nobody starts there.
Why the ball matters more than you think
We're an Israeli footvolley brand and we build our own ball, so we'll be direct about the trade-off most people never hear: a ball that is too light is a liability on a windy beach. It drifts on serves, it wobbles on high sets, and it turns a good rally into a scramble.
The TATU BOLA ball is deliberately a touch heavier than the average footvolley ball, roughly 10 grams, which is enough to hold a predictable line through sea breeze without ever feeling hard on the chest. It's soft from the first session, sealed against water and sand, and it comes in size 5, the footvolley standard.
FAQ
Do I need to be good at football to play footvolley?
No. Footballers usually have an advantage on the first day and lose it within a month, the touches are different enough that everyone starts close to zero.
Can I really never use my hands?
Correct. Hands and arms are out entirely, including on the serve. It's the defining rule of the sport.
How many points is a footvolley game?
Sets are typically played to 18 points, and you must win by two. Matches are usually best of three sets.
What ball should a beginner buy?
A size 5 footvolley ball that's soft on contact and sealed against water. Avoid regular footballs, and avoid anything so light that wind moves it.
Do you ship outside Israel?
Yes, we ship worldwide. Get in touch through the site and we'll arrange it.
Ready to start? Shop footvolley balls or browse nets and beach gear.
