Jorkyball
French 2v2 caged mini-football (invented 1987, Gilles Paniez) played on a plexiglass-walled 10m×5m court. Walls are IN PLAY (like squash/pelota) — ball rebounds enable creative angles. Fast-paced (12-min matches); governed by FIJ (Fédération Internationale de Jorkyball); ~1,500 courts worldwide.
Quick facts
Category
Ball Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
2–4
Duration
~12 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Jorkyball court
Country of origin
🇫🇷 France
Estimated origin
Invented 1987 by Gilles Paniez in Lyon; FIJ founded 1994; World Cup 1997+.
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score more goals than opponent in 12 minutes using walls creatively.
Rules
Basic rules
2v2 ONLY — 1 forward + 1 defender per team; defender cannot cross into attack zone
Signature 2v2 zone rule.
WALLS + CEILING ARE IN PLAY — ball rebounds off walls; only red 'out' lines are out
Signature walls-in-play rule.
GOALS = small (100 × 60 cm); goalkeeper role rotates informally
Standard goals.
NO OFFSIDE (small court)
Standard no offside.
FOULS: yellow card = 2-min penalty; red card = expulsion
Standard cards.
Scoring
1 point per goal.
Win condition · Most goals in 12 min wins; sudden-death OT if tied.
Playing area
Called
Jorkyball court
Dimensions
10m × 5m plexiglass-walled cage, 2.7m high walls
Equipment
Size 4 futsal-type ball
Low-bounce ball similar to futsal.
Indoor football shoes
Non-marking soles for indoor court.
Terminology
- Wall pass
- Pass off the wall to team-mate — key attacking tactic.
- Out line
- Red line above ~1.8m — ball above this is out.
Major competitions
Jorkyball World Cup
annual · Global · since 1997
European Jorkyball Championship
annual · Europe · since 1995
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Fédération Internationale de Jorkyball (FIJ)
Founded 1994 · Lyon, France
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Gilles Paniez (FR, inventor)
- Fabien Marchesin (FR)
- Enrico Ferri (IT)
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Jorkyball— Wikipedia
- FIJ official— FIJ