FULL LIST OF THE BIZARRE RULES OF KSI'S NEW BALLER LEAGUE FROM KEEPERS NOT BEING ABLE TO HANDLE THE BALL TO REVERTING BACK TO THE OLD-SCHOOL STYLE OF PENALTIES
- The new Baller League will make its long-awaited debut in the UK this week
- But what are the key rules to keep in mind when following the tournament?
- LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Is England's squad good enough to win the World Cup?
The new Baller League will make its long-awaited debut in the UK this week, with the first match kicking off at 5pm on Monday.
The Baller League is a new weekly indoor football tournament coming to the UK for the first time - with former legends such as Ian Wright and John Terry and YouTube stars including TBJZL and Miniminter managing the teams.
12 teams play in six-a-side matches, with the top four teams in the league advancing to the play-off final in May, where the competition's inaugural champion will be decided.
It will be similar in format to that of Gerard Pique's Kings League from Spain and Germany's version of the Baller League.
But what are the key rules to keep in mind when following the tournament? And why are some of the rules so different?
Read on below as MailSport breaks a full list of rules for the new Baller League, including some of the quirkier ones to keep in mind when following the action.
Full list of Baller League rules
Taking the form of six-a-side matches, each team can therefore select 12 players in their squad, with rolling subs in action from the first whistle.
Each match will be 30 minutes long and split into two halves of 15 minutes - but there are some more complex regulations to keep in mind.
In the last three minutes of each half, so-called 'gamechangers' - which include a 3v3 format, long-range strikes counting as two goals and goalkeepers not being allowed to use their hands at any point in that period.
Offsides are still in play but there will be no corners. Instead, if the ball goes off an opposing player and behind the goal three times, a penalty is awarded.
That is where the fun really cranks up - as the Baller League will be employing the retro 1990s MLS format of spot-kicks.
This gives the attacker just six seconds to beat the goalkeeper in a one-on-one contest and score for their team.
Managers will also receive two wildcards per game week, enabling them to sign any player in the league for their team in a given match.
After each gameweek has ended, an MVP is awarded, which gives the recipient's team a legend for their next fixture.
With 11 matchweeks in the season, teams play each other once with no bye-weeks blank gameweeks for any team.
At the end of the regular season, the top four teams will advance through to a play-off night on June 11.
Presenter Maya Jama and Juventus forward Alisha Lehmann have also been announced as the latest managers ahead of the launch of the Baller League.
Lehmann, who plays for Juventus, had previously been involved in the first season of the Baller League in Germany in 2023.
The Swiss footballer and former Germany and Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski had been the managers of 'Streets United', who won the inaugural season.
The league started in a disused plane hanger in Cologne but has now branched out overseas.
Read more 2025-03-24T18:13:35Z