Game Rules

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Starting the Game

  1. Every match kicks off with the ball at the center of the board.

  2. Decide who shoots first with rock-paper-scissors or an arm-wrestle; the winner of the previous match may also take the first shot if they're still on the board.

  3. After the opening shot, teams alternate turns, always shooting from wherever the ball came to rest.

  4. In 2-vs-2 play, turns rotate: team one/player one, team two/player one, team one/player two, team two/player two, then repeat.

Winning

A match is won by the first team to score seven goals. After each goal, the team that conceded restarts play from center field.

What Counts as a Goal

  • The ball must fully cross the goal line — if you can see turf beneath it from in front of the goal, it counts.

  • A goal still counts if the ball crosses the line completely and then bounces back out.

Fouls and Cards

Fouls carry a yellow or red card depending on where they happen:

  • Yellow card: the opposing team takes a free shot from center field.

  • A second yellow for the same player becomes a red card.

  • Red card: the opponent takes a penalty from anywhere behind the midfield line, and the offending team loses a player for the rest of the match. To decide which player sits out, the opposing team flips a yellow/red card like a coin while the offending player calls it in the air — the winner of that call chooses who leaves the board.

  • Cards reset after every red card.

Foul Reference

  1. Touching or double-touching the ball before shooting is a yellow card, or a red card if it happens inside your own box.

  2. Touching the crossbar with a finger during any shot is always a red card.

  3. Knocking the ball out of bounds from outside your own box is a yellow card; from inside your own box, it's a red card.

  4. When the ball rests against the boards, you may flick it from behind them, even if your fingers technically leave the playing field.

  5. If the ball sits against a sideline or baseline, only the shooting hand may pull the board back before the shot.

  6. Moving the board while shooting is a yellow card, or a red card if it happens inside your own box.

  7. The shooting player's head may never cross the midfield line during a shot.

One Last Thing

Above all, have fun. Grab your family or friends and enjoy a match of Kicko!