FootGolf explained, rules, governing body and how to start playing

A 52cm cup replaces golf’s tiny hole in FootGolf, where players try to finish in as few kicks as possible. The appeal is immediate for soccer players, families, and casual athletes because the sport keeps the satisfaction of precision without the barrier of clubs, carts, or years of golf experience. It is also an organized sport, with a world federation, a rulebook, and an international circuit that gives newcomers a clear place to start.

What FootGolf is and why it feels approachable

FootGolf is a precision sport built around kicking a size-5 soccer ball into a cup positioned away from the golf greens. It is a game of accuracy and control, rewarding the same touch and shape that soccer players already use, just in a course setting. For golfers, the attraction is different but just as practical: it still asks for course management, distance control, and patience, only with feet instead of clubs.

The sport’s structure also lowers the intimidation factor that keeps many people away from traditional golf. There is no need to learn a bag full of clubs before your first round, and the basics are easy to explain in one sentence: kick from the teeing zone toward the hole on the green zone, and finish in the fewest kicks.

Who runs it and how the rules are set

The Federation for International FootGolf, known as FIFG, calls itself “the world’s governing body” for the sport. The game has been regulated by FIFG since July 2012. FIFG also created the FootGolf Rulebook in 2013, then approved a new rulebook that was used for the first time in December 2018 at the FIFG FootGolf World Cup in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The rules are standardized, the governance is international, and FIFG lists events for Season 2024-2025 on its official site.

FIFG’s rules are straightforward on the course itself: FootGolf is played from the teeing zone, with each player aiming for the hole on the green zone in the fewest number of kicks. The rules also emphasize minimal supervision by a marshal and depend on player integrity and etiquette.

How a round works on the course

A first round usually begins much like golf, only with a different tool and a different rhythm. The course layout can still use tee boxes, fairways, bunkers, hazards, and par, but the ball is a soccer ball and the target is the oversized cup rather than a small golf hole. That design helps golf-course operators adapt existing land without rebuilding the entire facility for a new sport.

The flow is easy to understand once you step onto the teeing area. You kick from the designated start, track the ball’s path through the course features, and continue until you hole out, always trying to do it in fewer kicks than your playing partners. Because the sport relies on player integrity and etiquette, the round is built around trust, pace, and keeping the group moving.

What gear you need before you go

The core piece of equipment is the soccer ball itself. FootGolf uses a size-5 ball, which makes the sport immediately familiar to anyone who has played organized soccer and easy to explain to anyone new to it. There is no club selection, no glove fitting, and no bag of specialty gear to sort through before your first attempt.

A simple starter checklist looks like this:

• A size-5 soccer ball • Comfortable clothes you can move in • A willingness to follow course etiquette and play at a steady pace • Enough time to walk a round and learn the layout before your first tee shot

How to find a course and get started

The cleanest first step is to look for a golf facility that explicitly offers FootGolf on its existing course. Many public golf venues use the same golf-course features for FootGolf: tee boxes, fairways, bunkers, hazards, and par still matter. If a facility is part of the FIFG ecosystem or schedules sanctioned play, that is even better because it usually means the layout and rules are already aligned with the broader sport.

Start with the governing-body listings and then check whether local golf courses have a FootGolf option. FIFG’s Season 2024-2025 events show how to connect casual play with competitive play when you are ready. In North America, that growth has been underway for years: the American FootGolf Federation introduced FootGolf to the continent in 2011, and the American FootGolf League has set standards for course design, layout, and yardage since that same year.

Why the sport keeps expanding

The U.S. National FootGolf Team has participated in every edition of the FIFG World FootGolf World Cup. The first-ever FIFG Youth World Cup opened in Gahlenz, Germany.

A FIFG-related 2026 World Cup post listed more than 200 players representing 60 countries.