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Roundnet rules

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Ask anything about Roundnet rules — answered from the rulebook below.

Roundnet (Spikeball) Official Rules

Roundnet, popularly known by the brand name Spikeball, is a fast-paced 360-degree net sport. Two teams play around a small circular trampoline-style net, rallying to bounce the ball off the net so that opponents cannot legally return it. It is governed internationally by the International Roundnet Federation (IRF) and in the United States by USA Roundnet, both of which standardize the competitive ruleset.

1. Objective & Format

The objective is to hit the ball off the net so that the opposing team cannot return it within their allotted touches. Standard competitive play is 2 vs 2. There is no traditional court or boundary line; play occurs in 360 degrees around the net, so the "field" is the open space surrounding it.

Equipment: A circular net roughly 36 inches (about 90 cm) in diameter, standing on legs that hold the rim about 8 inches off the ground. The net tension is set so a ball dropped from about 5 feet bounces approximately 20 inches high off the net. A small inflatable ball (about 12 inches in circumference for the standard size) is used.

Format/Duration: Games are point-based rather than timed. Standard games are played to 21 points, though tournaments may use games to 11, 15, or 21. Matches are commonly best of 3 or best of 5 games.

2. Scoring

Roundnet uses rally scoring — a point is awarded on every rally regardless of which team served. A game must be won by 2 points. If the score reaches 20-20 (in a game to 21), play continues until one team leads by two; many tournament formats cap the game (e.g., first to 25 wins regardless of margin).

A team scores when the opponents:

  • Fail to legally return the ball to the net within their touches,
  • Hit the rim or miss the net,
  • Let the ball hit the ground, or
  • Commit a fault.

3. Core Rules of Play

  • Starting positions: Players line up in a cross formation, with the server directly opposite (180 degrees from) the designated receiver.
  • Serving: The server must begin at least 6 feet from the net and may not step closer until the ball contacts the net. The server gets two attempts to land a legal serve; the ball must come cleanly off the net to the receiver.
  • Touches: After a legal serve, a team has up to 3 touches to return the ball onto the net. Touches must alternate between the two teammates — a player may not hit the ball twice in a row, except for a permitted "soft touch" off an upward trajectory.
  • Returning: The ball must hit the net (not the rim) on each return and must bounce off cleanly. Once a team hits the ball back to the net, possession passes to the other team.
  • Open play: After the serve, players may move anywhere around the net. The rally continues until a fault or unreturnable shot.

4. Common Fouls, Violations & Penalties

  • Double fault: Two failed serves results in a point for the receiving team.
  • Pocket: The ball hits where the net meets the rim and changes trajectory — a fault.
  • Rim hit: The ball strikes the rim on a serve or return — loss of rally.
  • Hits/Roll: More than 3 touches, two consecutive touches by one player (outside the soft-touch rule), or a ball that rolls across the net — loss of rally.
  • Hindrance: Defenders must make an effort to clear out of the offense's path. Illegal obstruction results in a replay of the point (or a point, per tournament rules).
  • Penalty: Faults award the rally to the opposing team.

5. Win Condition

A team wins a game by being the first to reach the target score (typically 21) with at least a 2-point lead. The match is won by taking the majority of games in the agreed series (best of 3 or 5).