Cageball is a sport invented by the football coach Jörg Berger in October 2002, seeking a way to play association football (U.S. English: soccer) despite bad winter conditions.

It is similar to traditional indoor football, although with some changes: as the name implies, one plays in a cage. Due to the enclosed environment, the game is faster and more dynamic, and putting greater emphasis on football technique. In certain European countries, including Norway, match-format cageball pitches are found in connection with exercise gyms.^[1]

The sport resembles Nike's Secret Tournament, which was a more or less staged advertising event that preceded the invention of cageball by around 8 months. Cageball features somewhat larger goals, less stiff fencing and roofing, and the ball is carried into the field instead of being dropped from the roof.

Playing field

Cageball is played on artificial turf. The playing field is usually 23x15 metres, but can vary somewhat due to hall constraints. The entire field is surrounded by a one-metre-high wall or fence, out of which extends a net for a further four metres upwards. This way, the ball is always in play, obsoleting all out-of-bound rules. Usually, a Cageball team consists of three field players and a goalkeeper, the latter which can also assume a "flying" role.

At recreational level, it is not unusual with 4 or 5 field players and no keepers.

Rules

Normal football rules apply when it comes to fouls and deliberate hand usage. Free kicks must be immediately carried out. The offside is not observed, and there are no throw-ins or goal kicks.