CPL –
Football Tennis Rules

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THE COURT: Football tennis is played on the turf field at theGround pitch

THE NET: The court is split in two parts by the tennis net.

THE BALL: Football-tennis uses a regulation size 5 ball.

TEAMS AND PLAYERS: The game is played between two teams with two players on each team. There are substitutes allowed throughout a match; each team is allowed to have one other teammate to be used as a substitute for a total of 3 participants per team. 

PLAYERS EQUIPMENT: The official uniform of Football-tennis includes a shirt, shorts, socks, and turf/indoor shoes. If the teams don’t have a matching uniform, theGround will provide bibs. 

DURATION OF THE MATCH: Group Stage/Semi Finals: One set matches until one team reaches 21. The team must win by 2 points. There is a 3-minute maximum break between games. Finals: The best of 3 sets. Set duration will last no longer than 24 minutes. 

BEGINNING THE GAME: The winner of a coin toss is allowed to elect whether they will kick off or choose a side to defend. 

THE KICK-OFF: Referee, positioned above the field, start the game with the sign to serve. 

  • A kick-off is used to begin each game and also between each point scored. 
  • Kick-offs are played from behind the service box line of the football tennis court and the ball must land in opposite service box area. 
  • Players cannot step on the line during a kick-off. A player has one attempt to execute a kick-off and must play the ball out of his hands, by drop kick (ball hitting the ground before being kicked). 
  • Any kick-off that hits the net but lands on the opposing side (let) must be repeated.

SCORING: Both teams can score a point at any time (the defending team can score even if they did not kick off to start play). 

SERVICE: Service will be held by one team for 5 point combinations. Service is changed every time the score equals 5, 10, 15, and 20 points. (Similar to ping pong; i.e. score 3-2, 1-4, 5-0, 2-3, 6-4, 7-8, 11-9 etc.) The player cannot return the service directly. The service must bounce once in the serve court before being returned. 

TEAM BALL CONTACTS: The receiving team can touch the ball a maximum of three times per team before returning the ball to the opposing team. (For example, Player A passes to Player B in the air and then Player B passes back to Player A, Player A then plays the ball over the net—All in touch) Each player can only take a maximum of one-touch per individual. Both players do not need to touch the ball however. 

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER BALL CONTACT: Players can use any part of their body to touch the ball, with the exception of the arms or hands. Shoulders are not considered part of the arm. 

GROUND BALL CONTACTS: The only time a ball is allowed to touch the ground outside the playing field, is when a kick-off player bounces the ball before kick-off. Any other ground contacts outside the playing field are “out balls”. Inside the playing field, you are allowed one bounce per side, but can not bounce after the first touch. 

POINTS: Every play can result in a point scored by either one of the teams. 
Faults at the kick-off:

  • 1a. Kick-off is done before referee allows play to begin. 
  • 1b. Kick-off is not played from the hands. 
  • 1c. More than one ground contact is made before kicking off.Player kicks the ball into the net (If the ball hits the net, and goes over to the opposing side, the fault does not result in a point, but the kick-off is repeated.) 
  • 1d. The kick-off lands outside the playing field (‘out”) 

Faults during a play 

  • 2a. Player uses more than one touch before getting rid of the ball. 
  • 2b. During a play, the ball touches the ground more than one time. 
  • 2c. A team plays the ball, and it lands outside the playing field. 
  • 2d. A team plays the ball into the net. 
  • 2e. A player touches the net. 
  • 2f. A player touches the ball with their hand, or arm. 
  • 2g. The ball touches the ground before it goes over the net. 
  • 2h. The mystery/secret 3rd touch will be enforced! (Accidentally hits your foot, then shin, and you proceed with another touch)