Beginner’s guide
Boccia basics
An introduction for complete beginners — the game, the court, the balls and the rules in 11 steps.
Step 1 of 11
What is boccia?
Boccia is a Paralympic precision game. Players throw, roll or kick balls so that they stop as close as possible to a white target ball called the jack.
It looks simple, and that is exactly why it is so addictive. Results are decided by centimetres, tactics and staying calm against the clock, not by strength or speed.
- Aim
- balls as close to the jack as possible
- Sides
- red and blue
- Match
- 4 or 6 rounds, called ends
- Paralympic Games
- since 1984
Boccia was designed for people with cerebral palsy. Today it is played by people with many kinds of physical impairments, and by anyone who wants to try it. Tournaments take place on every continent, from school competitions to the Paralympics.
In the next steps you will learn who can play, the sport classes, the balls, the court, how an end works, scoring, the match format, the key rules and the basic shots. A short quiz waits at the end.
Step 2 of 11
Who can play?
Anyone. Boccia can be adapted to almost any level of ability, which is why whole families, school classes and care homes play it.
For fun
Anyone of any age, seated or standing. All you need is a set of balls and a flat floor.
Competitively
Athletes with severe physical impairments that affect movement control, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy or spinal cord injury. They play from a wheelchair in sport classes BC1–BC4.
Around the athlete
Coaches, sport assistants, ramp operators, referees and volunteers: there is no match without them.
International competitions include individual events (separate women's and men's events in each class), BC3 and BC4 pairs, and BC1/BC2 teams. Many local tournaments also have open categories for unclassified players, so ask at your nearest club.
Boccia trains concentration, hand–eye coordination, planning and teamwork, which is why therapists, schools and inclusive centres like using it.
Step 3 of 11
Sport classes BC1–BC4
In competitive boccia, athletes are grouped into sport classes according to how their impairment affects throwing. That way people with similar abilities compete against each other.
Hand or foot, with an assistant
Throws with the hand or kicks the ball with the foot. May have a sport assistant who waits behind the box and, when asked, positions the wheelchair or hands over a ball. Time per end: 4:30.
Hand, no assistant
Throws with the hand and plays without help. Usually has better arm and trunk control than BC1 players. Time per end: 3:30.
Ramp play with a ramp operator
The athlete’s arm and leg movement is so limited that they cannot throw the ball onto the court themselves. So they play with a ramp: a chute the ball rolls down onto the court. A ramp operator helps them. The operator stays in the box with the athlete, facing away from the court, so they cannot see the game. They position the ramp only as the athlete instructs. It is the athlete who reads the situation, chooses the shot and releases the ball, by hand or with a pointer on the head or in the mouth. Time per end: 6:00.
Hand or foot, usually no assistant
Severe limitation in all four limbs and poor trunk control, usually of non-cerebral origin (for example muscular dystrophy). Only athletes who play with the foot may have an assistant. Time per end: 3:30.
A: Chute
The ball rolls down between two rails. The angle of the chute does not change.
B: Curve
It flattens out smoothly so the ball runs gently onto the floor.
C: Exit
A short, flat end at floor level. The ramp may not stick out over the throwing line.
D: Stand
It holds the chute and its height can be adjusted. The operator turns the ramp left or right as the athlete instructs, which sets the direction.
E: Ball’s starting point
The higher up the athlete releases the ball, the further it rolls, as the two arrows on the floor show.
The sport class is assigned by a classifier during a classification assessment. You do not need one to play for fun.
Step 4 of 11
Balls and equipment
A set has 13 balls: 6 red, 6 blue and 1 white one, the jack, which is the target.
- Weight
- 275 g ± 12 g
- Circumference
- 270 mm ± 8 mm (about 8.6 cm across)
- Cover
- leather, synthetic leather, suede or a similar material
- Checks
- before and after each match: weight, circumference and a roll test
Balls are not all the same. Soft balls settle close to where they land; harder ones roll further and knock other balls more strongly. Players choose a set that suits their style, but they may not modify it.
Other equipment
- Wheelchair: athletes play seated; when the ball is released at least one buttock must touch the seat.
- Ramp (BC3): a chute the ball rolls down onto the court. Its angle does not change. How far the ball rolls depends on where the athlete releases it on the ramp: the higher, the further. The direction is set by turning the ramp left or right. A ramp cannot send the ball over other balls, because it always rolls along the floor.
- Aids: a BC3 athlete who cannot release the ball by hand pushes it with a pointer worn on the head or held in the mouth. Other aids, such as a special glove, must be approved during classification.
Step 5 of 11
The court
Boccia is played on a flat, smooth surface, usually a sports hall floor. The court measures 12.5 × 6 m.
A: Throwing boxes
Six boxes of 1 × 2.5 m, numbered 1 to 6. In individual play, red plays from box 3 and blue from box 4.
B: Throwing line
The front edge of the boxes. In front of it lies 10 m of playing area.
C: V line
The jack must cross it completely, otherwise the throw is not valid. The arms of the V start on the side lines 3 m from the throwing line and meet in the middle 1.5 m from it.
D: Cross
In the middle, 5 m from the throwing line. A jack knocked out during an end goes back here, and it is placed here for a tie-break. Around it is a 35 × 35 cm square for penalty balls.
E: Valid area for the jack
The whole part of the court beyond the V line (lighter in the drawing). That is where the jack must come to rest.
At home, masking tape and some free floor space are enough. You can make the court smaller; the rules stay the same.
Step 6 of 11
How does an end work?
An end is one round of a match: both sides play all of their balls. Walk through an end move by move.
Move 1 of 6
A coin toss decides who plays red. Red starts the odd-numbered ends and blue the even-numbered ones. The red player in box 3 throws the jack, which must cross the V line.
Each side has its own clock, like in chess. Time only runs when it is that side's turn, and throwing the jack counts too.
Step 7 of 11
Scoring
Points are counted only when the end is over. Usually only one side scores: the side with the ball closest to the jack.
A: 2–0 to red
Distance is measured from the edge of the jack to the nearest edge of the ball (yellow lines). The closest blue ball sets the limit: the dashed circle touches its edge. Two red balls are closer, so red scores 2 points and blue 0.
B: 1–1
A red and a blue ball are exactly as close to the jack (edge to edge) and no other ball is closer, so each side gets a point.
The rules in short
- The side with the ball closest to the jack scores 1 point for every one of its balls that is closer than the opponent's closest ball. Distance is always measured edge to edge, not between the centres of the balls.
- If the closest balls of both colours are the same distance away, each side scores a point for each of those balls.
- Points from penalty balls are added to the score (more on them in step 9).
- The side with the higher total over all ends wins. If it is a draw, a tie-break is played: an extra end with the jack placed on the cross.
The referee measures the gap between the edges of the balls: with callipers first, and with a tape measure for longer distances.
Step 8 of 11
The match: ends, time, formats
Boccia is played as individuals, pairs or teams of three. Each side always has 6 balls per end.
| Event | Players per side | Balls per player | Ends | Time per end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual BC1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4:30 |
| Individual BC2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3:30 |
| Individual BC3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 6:00 |
| Individual BC4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3:30 |
| BC3 pairs | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7:00 |
| BC4 pairs | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4:00 |
| BC1/BC2 teams | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5:00 |
Time is counted separately for each side (player, pair or team).
Good to know
- In individual play red uses box 3 and blue box 4. In pairs red takes boxes 2 and 4 and blue 3 and 5; in teams red takes 1, 3 and 5 and blue 2, 4 and 6.
- Players take turns to throw the jack: in individual play each player twice, in pairs and teams each player once.
- There is a one-minute break between ends. Before the match each side gets 2 minutes to warm up on court with 6 balls and the jack.
- The coach may talk to the athlete only between ends.
Step 9 of 11
The key rules
A few situations happen in every match. It is worth knowing them before you sit in a throwing box for the first time.
On the line = out
A ball that touches or crosses the outer boundary line is a dead ball and is removed, even if it rolls back in afterwards.
Fouled jack
If the jack does not cross the V line or goes out, it is thrown by the player due to throw the jack in the next end.
Jack knocked out during an end
It is put back on the cross and play continues.
Throwing from the box
When the ball is released, the athlete, their balls and equipment must be inside their own box.
Dropped ball
A ball that does not enter the playing area (it stays on or behind the throwing line) may be played again, but the clock keeps running.
Time is up
When a side runs out of time, its unplayed balls are lost.
Penalties
For violations the referee can: remove a ball from the court, award the opponent a penalty ball, show a yellow card (a warning) or a red card (disqualification from the competition). A second yellow card means the match is lost by forfeit. A card for the assistant or ramp operator counts as if the athlete had received it. Penalty balls are played after the end: one ball at the 35 × 35 cm square at the cross, with one minute per ball. A ball that stops inside it scores 1 point.
Quiet during the end
The athlete may only ask the assistant for specific actions, such as handing over a ball. The BC3 ramp operator faces away from the court for the whole end and may not look at it. They give no hints and only follow the athlete’s instructions.
Ramp swing before the jack (BC3)
Before a BC3 athlete plays the jack, the ramp must be clearly swung left and right, at least 20 cm each way. This stops the operator from lining up the ramp for the athlete in advance.
Step 10 of 11
Basic shots
Every shot has a tactical purpose. Here are four shots every player starts with.
A: Placement
The ball stops right next to the jack. The foundation of the game and the start of every training session.
B: Block
The ball stays in front of the jack and blocks the opponent's path to it.
C: Hit
A firmer shot knocks away the opponent's ball that is closest to the jack.
D: Push
Your ball pushes one of your earlier balls closer to the jack.
You can also move the jack itself, towards your own balls or away from your opponent's. The biggest decision in boccia is: go for points or defend?
Step 11 of 11
How to get started
You know the rules now. Time to play your first end!
- 1
Play for fun
A set of balls, some tape and a flat floor. Two people are enough.
- 2
Find a club
Ask a disability sports club, an association or your national boccia federation. Many run sessions for beginners and lend equipment.
- 3
Classification
If you want to compete, a coach will help you book a classification assessment.
- 4
Train with a plan
Log your throws and track your progress: that is what Boccia ProTrainer is for.
Train boccia with a plan
Boccia ProTrainer logs your throws, shows your progress and suggests what to practise next. Free plan forever.
Quiz: do you know the rules now?
Based on the World Boccia Rules 2025–2028 (version 1.2.1). If in doubt, the official rulebook prevails.