Eton Fives

Doubles wall-and-hand sport played on a three-sided court with a stepped ledge — the quirkiest of the three fives games.

👥2 per team🌤outdoor

What is Eton Fives?

Eton fives is a doubles-only wall-and-hand sport played on an asymmetric three-sided court modelled on a buttress of Eton College Chapel. Players wear gloves and strike a small hard ball off the walls with their hands. The court's stepped ledge ("pepper pot") creates unpredictable rebounds. The sport is played at a handful of British schools and colleges.

Quick facts

Category

Racket & Paddle Sports

Type

Team sport

Players

2 per team

Where played

outdoor

Country of origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Estimated origin

1830s, Eton College (against the chapel wall)

Olympic

No

Popularity

niche

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-24.verified