Floorball

Officially Floorball / Innebandy / Salibandy / Unihockey

Indoor team sport similar to hockey — 6-a-side, plastic sticks, light plastic ball with holes. Originated Sweden/Finland/US 1970s. Massive popularity Sweden + Finland (top participation sports). 2 halves × 20 min each. IFF World Championships. Growing global sport; IOC recognized.

📐indoor court (basketball-sized)⏱~60 min🌤indoor

What is Floorball?

Floorball (INNEBANDY in Sweden, SALIBANDY in Finland, UNIHOCKEY in Switzerland) is INDOOR TEAM SPORT similar to hockey. Played with LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC STICKS + LIGHT PLASTIC BALL with holes (~23g, 72mm diameter). 6-A-SIDE (5 field + 1 goalie). Originated independently in SWEDEN, FINLAND, US in 1970s; formalized 1980s. MASSIVE POPULARITY in SWEDEN + FINLAND — one of top participation sports; only football (soccer) has more Swedish/Finnish youth players. GAMEPLAY: rectangular COURT 40m × 20m with 4m × 3m nets. 2 HALVES × 20 MIN (stop clock). Players use STICKS to pass, dribble, shoot BALL into opponent's net. Goalies wear PADS but no stick — use hands to block. 5v5 field play (no offside rule in most versions — very fast game). PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES: SUPERLIGAN (Sweden), SM-LIIGA (Finland). WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS since 1996 (IFF — International Floorball Federation). 2018 World Championships had 100+ million TV viewers. IOC RECOGNIZED sport (2008); potential future Olympic sport. Growing globally — CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND, NORWAY, ESTONIA, LATVIA strong; USA + CANADA + AUSTRALIA emerging. Fast, high-scoring (typical scores 5-3, 7-4).

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Score more goals than opponent in regulation time.

Rules

Basic rules

6-a-side: 5 outfield players + 1 goalie
Goalie has pads but no stick.
Score by hitting ball into opponent's net with stick
Both feet + hands illegal to touch ball.
No offside in most versions (fast game)
Some youth rules use offside.
Body contact allowed but limited (shoulder-to-shoulder)
No boarding, tripping, hooking.
Fouls result in free-hits or 2 min/5 min penalties
Man-down power plays similar to ice hockey.
Standard 2 × 20 min halves (30 min actual clock time typical)
IFF international uses 3 × 20 min.

Scoring

1 goal = 1 point. Team with more goals wins.

Action	Points
Goal (ball fully crosses goal line)	1 point
Assists tracked but not part of team score	0 points
Overtime + penalty shots for tied playoffs	Golden goal or shootout

Win condition · More goals than opponent at end of regulation (or after OT/shootout in playoffs).

Playing area

Called

indoor court (basketball-sized)

Dimensions

40m × 20m

Rectangular indoor court with 4m × 3m nets, walls/boards around perimeter.

Equipment

Floorball stick (plastic, lightweight)
€30-150
Floorball ball (plastic, ~23g, 72mm, with holes)
€2-5 each
Goalie pads (chest, leg, gloves) — no stick
€200-500
Court markings + goals + boards
Facility-provided

Strategies

Fast transition — no offside enables long passes + fast breaks
Similar to lacrosse tempo.
Set plays from face-offs + free-hits
Coordinated team offense.
Goalie communication + positioning
No stick means goalies rely on body positioning.
Power play + penalty kill units
Special teams important.

Terminology

Innebandy: Swedish for floorball (literally 'indoor bandy').
Salibandy: Finnish name.
Unihockey: Swiss name.
Face-off: Ball drop at center to start play.
Power play: 5v4 or 5v3 when opponent has penalty.

Major competitions

IFF World Floorball Championships (Men + Women)
biennial · worldwide · since 1996
Superligan (Swedish top league)
annual · Sweden · since 1980
F-liiga / SM-liiga (Finnish top league)
annual · Finland · since 1986
Champions Cup (European club champions)
annual · Europe · since 2011

Where it is played

Governing bodies

International Floorball Federation (IFF)
Founded 1986 · Helsinki, Finland
Official site ↗
Swedish Floorball Federation (Innebandy)
Founded 1981 · Stockholm, Sweden
Finnish Floorball Federation (Salibandy)
Founded 1985 · Helsinki, Finland

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Rasmus Enström (Sweden) — Superligan legend
Mika Kohonen (Finland) — Salibandy star
Kim Nilsson (Sweden) — Multiple world champion
Peter Öberg (Sweden) — Legendary center

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Find local floorball club — most active Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Czech Republic
Growing US/UK clubs in urban areas.
2
Buy beginner stick + shoes ($50-100)
Indoor court shoes essential.
3
Learn stick handling + basic passing
Similar skill base to hockey.

intermediate

1
Join adult recreational leagues
Common in Nordic countries.
2
Study game strategy + set plays
Team tactics complex.

advanced

1
Superligan / SM-liiga contract path
Professional Nordic leagues.
2
National team + World Championship dream
IFF Worlds every 2 years.

Frequently asked

What is Floorball?+

INDOOR TEAM SPORT similar to hockey — 6-a-side (5 outfield + 1 goalie), played with LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC STICKS + LIGHT PLASTIC BALL with holes (23g). Originated SWEDEN, FINLAND, US in 1970s. Called INNEBANDY (Sweden), SALIBANDY (Finland), UNIHOCKEY (Switzerland). Court 40m × 20m; 2 halves × 20 min. Fast, high-scoring, physical but limited contact. Massive popularity Sweden + Finland (top participation sports). IOC RECOGNIZED 2008; potential future Olympic sport. Global growing sport with 100+ million TV viewers for 2018 World Championships.

How is Floorball different from Ice Hockey?+

FLOORBALL indoor court (40m × 20m); ICE HOCKEY on ICE RINK (60m × 30m). Floorball 6-a-side; Ice Hockey 6-a-side (same count). Floorball uses LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC STICK + BALL; Ice Hockey uses WOODEN/COMPOSITE STICK + PUCK. Floorball NO OFFSIDE (most versions); Ice Hockey has offside + icing. Floorball less contact (no boarding); Ice Hockey full contact + fighting culturally accepted. Floorball much CHEAPER to play (no ice cost) — hence Nordic mass participation. Floorball indoor year-round; Ice Hockey seasonal outdoor or indoor rink.

Is Floorball at the Olympics?+

NOT YET on Olympic program but IOC RECOGNIZED SPORT since 2008. IFF (International Floorball Federation) actively lobbies for inclusion. 2028 Los Angeles Games considered but not selected. Sport has strong Nordic base + growing global participation making Olympic case. Featured at WORLD GAMES (multi-sport for non-Olympic sports). WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS since 1996 (men) + 1997 (women) held biennially — highest-level competition currently.

Sources & provenance

IFF — International Floorball Federation— IFF
Wikipedia — Floorball— Wikipedia

Last verified 2026-08-25.verified