"The IFAS creates and publishes rules with the goal of bridging the anomalous world together in standardised competition that is Fair, Accountable, and Safe."
The International Federation of Anomalous Sports
2026 Rules for Floorball
Contents
Preface
The IFAS creates and publishes rules with the goal of bridging the anomalous world together in standardised competition that is Fair, Accountable, and Safe. To this end, we perform round after round of inquiry and testing with many communities as possible. However, we acknowledge that this latest ruleset likely still possesses some shortfalls of clarity and loopholes. As such, we pledge to continue adapting and revising until we have the 'perfect' set of rules or the world ends, whichever comes first.
The following is the 2026 Edition of the Rules for Floorball, intended to be an extension of standard floorball rules in order to accommodate the anomalous world while still ensuring Fair Play for All. Though this ruleset attempts to be exhaustive, the IFAS recognises that it cannot account for every possibility, and hence permits the modification of these rules at the discretion of event organisers, provided that all participants are sufficiently informed beforehand.
Primary reference should always be taken from the standard ruleset published by the International Floorball Federation (IFF), with this anomalous ruleset being treated as a list of modifications and clarifications. In the event that unresolvable confusions occur between the latest edition standard ruleset and the latest edition anomalous ruleset, the standard ruleset is assumed to take precedent, unless deemed excessively prohibitive. As always, the final choice of ruleset for an event falls to the organisers of the specific event.
Any and all suggestions, criticisms, or ideas are welcome at our offices, emails, and nöoboxes, which can be found on our official sites.
Oskar Klabere, Chair,
IFAS Committee of Regulation
1. Rink
101. Dimensions of the rink
1) There is no standard rink size. Minimum rink size shall be determined on a game-by-game basis, using the average height of all players from both teams. The standard formula for determining rink size is: (24 X H) m by (12 x H) m, where H is the average player height.
102. Markings on the rink
1) All markings shall be demarcated in a manner that is clearly detectable to the primary senses of all players.
2) The size of goal creases and goalkeeper areas shall be determined using the size of the goal cages, themselves determined by the size of the goalkeeper (See 103). The standard formula for determining these is: (4 x H) m by (3 x W) m for the goal crease and H m by (1.6 x W) m for the goalkeeper area, where W is the width of the goal cage and H is the height of the goal cage.
103. Goal cages
1) Standard IFAS modifiable goal cages shall be used whenever possible. Otherwise, the most similar available substitute shall be offered to both teams, with use being contingent on mutual acceptance.
2) Goal cages shall be adjusted to match the size of the goalkeeper currently playing, with the cage width being equal to their full wingspan and the cage height being equal to their height while in a ready and passive goalkeeping posture.
104. Substitution zones
1) Substitution zones shall have lengths one-third (⅓) of the rink length, with their center situated at the first and third quarter (¼) divisions of the length of the rink.
107. Ball
1) Game balls shall be ones approved by either the IFF or the IFAS for use in floorball. Both teams shall agree on the size of the game ball to be used before the game begins.
2. Game time
201. Regular game time
1) Game time shall be effective. No intentional dilation, compression, or other manipulation of game time by parties directly or indirectly involved in the game shall be tolerated, except when performed by the referees to account for natural, significant, and unfair shifts in time. Violations shall be punished in accordance with the latest edition IFAS Penalties and Punishments Charter, with the minimum penalty of a permanent ban from all IFAS sanctioned events, and the game shall be restarted from the latest point deemed unaffected by the violation.
3. Participants
301. Players
1) Each team is allowed a maximum of twenty players, a record of which shall be submitted prior to the game. Only players and referees are allowed within the rink during the game. A player is defined as a single observably conscious body which is able to perform movement and thought independently from all other participants.
For instance, a raised corpse being controlled by a master would be allowed to be a player if the master were not involved with the game beyond their control of the corpse, but would not be allowed to be a player if the master were a referee, player, coach, or other person involved with the game.
2) A maximum of six players per team, including one goalkeeper, shall be present within the rink at any point during standard play. This maximum shall be decreased for a given team accordingly with the number of bench penalties currently being served, with a maximum of two bench penalties per team being served simultaneously, to a minimum of four players being allowed in the rink per team. Players not in the rink shall not actively influence the gameplay within the rink in any way, such as using empath abilities to boost the morale of players in the rink.
302. Substitution
1) Substitution of players shall be performed physically. Players shall not teleport, warp, displace, or otherwise non-physically transport themselves from the substitution area to the rink or vice versa. Non-physical transportation shall be allowed up to the substitution zone, at which point substitution shall be performed physically.
305. Team staff
1) Each team is allowed a maximum of five members of team staff, a record of which shall be submitted prior to the game. Only members of team staff are allowed in the substitution area alongside the players. A member of team staff is defined as a single observably conscious body which is able to perform movement and thought. Note that, unlike players, independence is not required for members of team staff.
308. Telepaths
1) Adult players with telepathic capabilities shall be registered with the IFAS, with the identities of all intimate connections and the extent of general abilities being shared.
2) No two members of the same team, including both players and team staff, shall be capable of any form of intimate telepathic communication with one another. This includes but is not limited to: psychic links, hiveminds, soulmate bonds, sibling powers, and mind portals. Telepathic dampening equipment is available if preferred.
3) All players with general telepathic abilities shall utilise the appropriate telepathic dampening equipment to fully restrict them.
309. Shapeshifters
1) Players with shapeshifting abilities shall decide on a fixed form prior to the game and remain in said form for the entirety of the game. Players who shapeshift involuntarily shall be noted in the submitted player record and shall attempt to minimise the frequency and magnitude of their shifts as much as possible. If the shifts are deemed excessively advantageous for the player by the referees, the player may be prohibited from further play in the game until the shifts are deemed acceptable again.
4. Equipment
401. The players' clothing
1) All players on the same team shall be equipped with matching uniforms comprising of a jersey, shorts, and socks. Players incapable of complying with uniform requirements shall utilise a substitute from the current year's IFAS Alternative Equipment List that is both reasonably identifiable with the rest of their team and easily distinguishable from the opponent team.
2) In the event that numbers cannot be present on or near the body of a player, such as if a player being assigned a number would result in all data referencing said number becoming impossible to perceive, then alternative symbols may be utilised, as long as they are deemed sufficiently legible by the referees.
406. Stick
1) The stick shall be approved by either the IFF or IFAS.
2) Field players shall hold their stick at a maximum of two points on the shaft above the grip line. This includes gripping non-physically, such as with telekinesis.
3) The stick shall not be intentionally manipulated in build, shape, or size while being used by a field player in the rink. This includes but is not limited to: spatial warping, transmutation, telekinetic or physical manipulation, and dimensional folding. Limited manipulation of the stick is allowed within the substitution areas and shall be treated as the switching of a stick.
5. Fixed situations
502. Face-off
1) Players shall place their feet perpendicular to the center line during face-off. Players without feet or any equivalent shall instead position their body parallel to the face-off line. If this is also not possible, such as if a player's body is perfectly spherical, then another player of the same team shall take the face-off, or this restriction shall no longer be applied to both players taking the face-off, whichever is preferred by the opponent team.
506. Free-hits
1) When an offence leading to a free-hit is commited (See 507), a free-hit shall be awarded to the non-offending team unless they would gain a considerable advantage from allowing play to continue.
507. Offences leading to a free-hit
1) When a player raises their stick above half (½) the height of their natural standing position in the wind-up before hitting the ball or in the follow-through after hitting the ball.
2) When a player actively leaves the ground and stops the ball. Leaving the ground is when a player has no points of contact with the ground. Players only capable of passively hovering over the ground shall be considered leaving the ground when the distance between them and the ground drastically changes.
3) When a player performs careless use of excessive force that leads to damage of the ball or an opponent player's stick that renders it unusable.
4) When a bench penalty is received during play.
6. Penalties
603. Bench penalties
1) Bench penalties are two minutes long, and shall be aligned with game time. Minor bench penalties are considered a single bench penalty, while major bench penalties are considered two bench penalties, the second being served as soon as the first ends.
3) The match secretariat shall be responsible for tracking the duration of all bench penalties.
2) Any attempts to reduce the duration of a bench penalty, such as by using technomancy on the timekeeping devices, shall be punished with an immediate suspension from the remainder of the match, with possible future penalties. If the offending party is deemed to be a player serving a bench penalty, the team captain shall select a new player to serve the bench penalty from the beginning and a separate player to serve a minor bench penalty.
605. Offences leading to a minor bench penalty
1) When a player carelessly causes harm to a member of the opponent team, such as if a player with a petrifying gaze loses their protective eyewear and petrifies an opponent player.
This does not apply if the situation leading to the unintentional harm caused was deliberately created by the opponent team, such as if a player with a petrifying gaze has their protective eyewear forcibly removed by an opponent player.
2) When a player performs reckless use of excessive force that leads to damage of the ball or an opponent player's stick that renders it unusable.
3) When a player directly influences the ball or an opponent player non-physically, including by manipulating the air around the ball or player.
4) When a goalkeeper deliberately commits a non-violent foul in order to prevent a goal, such as by shapeshifting or using telekinesis to save a shot. The bench penalty shall always be preceded with a penalty shot.
5) When a player receives telepathic communication during the game and fails to inform the referees or secretariat.
6) When a shapeshifter whose shapeshifting abilities are not involuntary alters their form in a way that does not provide a considerable advantage.
607. Offences leading to a major bench penalty
1) When a player deliberately manufactures a situation that endangers other players, including players on the same team.
2) When a shapeshifter alters their form in a way that provides a considerable advantage.
3) When an empath incites aggressive behaviour leading to a scuffle or a fight.
4) When divine intervention is utilised by a team without a record of it being submitted prior to the game. The team captain shall serve this bench penalty.
Acknowledgements
The IFAS would like to acknowledge and thank the following sponsors for supporting our mission to make sports accessible while maintaining the principle of Fair Play for All:
Horizon Initiative Charities
Weird Sports
ACE UNIHOCKEY
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