While sports like soccer, basketball, and handball are widely recognized, there are lesser-known games that also utilize a ball. Among these is Bossa Ball, a distinctive sport that blends elements of athletics, music, and dance. This relatively new game, developed in the early 21st century, has rapidly gained popularity and has attracted athletes from around the globe.
Bossa Ball originated in 2004, invented by Belgian Philippe Ekman while he was living in Spain. The name “Bossa Ball” is derived from the Portuguese word “bossa,” meaning “style” or “taste,” and is also linked to the Brazilian music genre “bossa nova,” which is associated with samba. The game quickly spread to European countries, including the Netherlands, which has the only dedicated league for it, as well as the Middle East and Latin America. It reached Asia when it was first played in Singapore in 2007, gaining significant popularity. Due to its growing reach, Turkey hosted the first World Cup for Bossa Ball in 2009, with Brazil emerging as the winner.
Bossa Ball combines elements from various sports, requiring specific equipment for play. This includes a net set at approximately three meters high, a ball, and an inflatable trampoline placed in the middle of a court measuring 45 meters long by 28 meters wide. The court is equipped with sound systems playing bossa nova music during the match. The referee, known as the “Samba Referee,” uses a whistle to control the game and a microphone to communicate with players, while also managing the DJ responsible for the music.
The game is similar to volleyball, where players aim to send the ball over the net to score points. However, Bossa Ball allows players to use their hands, feet, or any other part of their body to strike the ball. Contact with the net is strictly prohibited, and any such contact results in a fault. Attackers from both teams use the trampoline, while the remaining players are positioned on the court around it. The game begins with one of the attackers jumping on the trampoline to serve the ball over the net. The opposing team must prevent the ball from touching the ground by returning it up to five times on their side before sending it back.
The rules of Bossa Ball stipulate that each team consists of four players, with no gender restrictions, allowing for mixed-gender teams. Each player can touch the ball a maximum of three times per rally—once with their hands and twice with their feet or head—before passing it to a teammate. The game does not have a set time limit; the first team to score 25 points wins. After scoring, teams must rotate clockwise so that different players occupy the attacking position on the trampoline each time. If a team fails to retrieve a shot after the ball has been touched more than five times, the attacking team scores points based on the type of hit: one point for a hand strike that lands in the opponent’s court, three points for a ball landing in the opponent’s trampoline area, and five points for a foot strike landing in the opponent’s trampoline area. If the ball is sent over and the opponent fails to maintain control after more than five touches, the attacking team scores a point.
