FOOTVOLLEY
IN GENERAL
As playing football on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro got prohibited in the late 1960s, Footvolley was born in Brazil! Passionate football players changed their location to play to the Beachvolleyball courts nearby. Via Portugal, Europe got to know the sport in the 1980s and ever since Footvolley is evolving year by year as games get more intense, more technical and more spectacular. Nowadays Footvolley is a known sport in all continents over the world, while the hotspot still resides in Brazil.
The rules of Footvolley are basically very similar to the ones used in Beachvolleyball. The only difference (which makes the sport so special) is that one isn’t allowed to touch the ball with the hands or arms. People usually play 2 vs. 2 against each other, but of course it’s possible to be 3 or 4 people per team for fun games – just as you like.
The dimensions of the courts are also usually the same as in Beachvolleyball, so 8×8 metres each field of the court. But apart from that, there are some nations which use different dimensions – so for example in Spain and Portugal Footvolley is played in 8.5×8.5 metres and in Brazil 9×9, which makes the game a lot more difficult and changes its dynamic.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOOTVOLLEY IN AFRICA
In the late 2000s, a few countries in Africa started developing Footvolley, especially in the coastal regions. In the few years since its existence, the sport has quickly spread to the majority of African nations, where many are building artificial sand courts in the interlands to ensure its development and growth.
Today, Footvolley is a recognized sport in some nations. The countries playing Footvolley are Morocco, Senegal, Benin Republic, Togo, Cameroun, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Kenya and Burkina Faso.