Millions of people play soccer, making it the most popular sport globally. The increasing physical demands and high competition have forced some to look for alternative sports similar to soccer, in which they can use their feet to kick the ball. A handful of sports, like soccer, require less energy and pressure.

Sports like football — Ferrao of FC Barcelona during the LNFS match against Pescados Ruben Burela(L) and Thailand's Lac Somruedee during the sepak takraw match(R). Photo: Gerard Franco, Ye Aung/Getty Images
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

Sports like soccer
1. 10. Footgolf
1. 9. Human foosball
1. 8. Seepak takraw
1. 7. Futsal
1. 6. Headis
1. 5. Kickball
1. 4. Hacky sack
1. 3. Footbag net
1. 2. Indoor Soccer
1. 1. Football Manager (FM)

Frequently asked questions
1. What two sports are similar?
1. What sport is similar to soccer?
1. Is Irish sport like soccer and rugby?

Final word

Soccer is one of the most demanding outdoor games, involving two teams of eleven players, each competing to score the opponent's goal. A soccer match has two halves of 45 minutes each. Many sports have emerged over the years, including some similar to football.

Sports like soccer

Games played	Mostly played in
Footgolf	United States
Human Foosball	United States
Seepak Takraw	Asia
Futsal	North America
Headies	Germany
Kickball	America
Hacky Sack	America
Footbag net	America
Indoor Soccer	America
Football manager	UK/America

There are many ways to hone your soccer abilities without paying the 11-a-side game. According to Paste Magazine, the listed below are ten sports like soccer and football, some elementary and others somewhat harder, all drawing on abilities passed down from football.

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10. Footgolf

Footgolf players on Golf Course — Two young adults playing footgolf on golf course in Slovenia in 2017. Photo: CasarsaGuru
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 2008
Type: Outdoor
Place of origin: The Netherlands
Prominence: USA, Argentina, Netherlands, UK, France

According to Medium, footgolf was created in the Netherlands in 2008 by Bas Korsten and Michael Jansen. The sport features a series of uniquely shaped holes placed next to the more typical golf holes. Footgolf holes are more significant than regular golf holes, usually 21 inches in diameter and marked with a cone or flag.

In Footgolf, participants kick a soccer ball into each hole. A par for every hole shows how many kicks to take. The player with the lowest score at the end of the round is declared the winner. Footgolf participants must follow specific rules, such as kicking the ball with their feet and not stepping on other players' strokes.

9. Human foosball

Brazilians playing foosball during celebrations — Brazilians playing human foosball in London, UK, on June 12, 2014. Photo: In Pictures Ltd
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1970s
Type: Indoor, outdoor
Place of origin: United States
Prominence: USA, South America, Europe, Asia

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Human foosball is a team sport in which players try to score goals by kicking balls into their opponents' goals. It is similar to the tabletop game foosball. Players stand on what looks like a vast foosball table (an inflatable or wooden field), according to Jumpking India.

The players move laterally across the field while holding onto bars connected to rods as they kick the ball. It requires teamwork and coordination to score.

8. Seepak takraw

Women's team Sepak Takraw match — Thailand's Wassana Soiraya (R) kicks the ball as Laos's Koy Xayavong (L) defends in the semifinal of the women's team sepak takraw match on September 28, 2023. Photo: Hector Retamal
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 15th century
Type: Outdoor, indoor, beach
Place of origin: Asia
Prominence: Asia, Europe, USA, South America

The traditional Southeast Asian sport of Seepak Takraw is called Takraw or kick volleyball. A net divides the playing area of the court, reminiscent of a badminton court. Players must use their feet, knees, chest, and heads to hit the ball, excluding hands.

Takraw ball is lightweight and made of synthetic plastic or woven rattan. According to Rules of Sport, Takraw is prevalent in Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It incorporates martial arts, soccer, and volleyball.

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7. Futsal

Futsal Deaflympics tournament in 2024 — Players compete during the 20th Winter Deaflympics Women Futsal match between Turkiye and Great Britain on March 05, 2024. 1003. Photo: Hilmi Tunahan
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1930
Type: Indoor
Place of origin: Uruguay and Brazil
Prominence: South America, Europe, USA

Futsal emphasizes control and footwork on a smaller, less buoyant ball played on a smaller field. Unlike traditional indoor soccer, the game is less intense and relentless since the ball can go out of play.

Many soccer stars, including Neymar and Ronaldinho, have played 5-a-side futsal leisurely. It is an indoor game that is played in many countries globally.

6. Headis

Founder of Headies in play with the cofounder — Founder of Headis, Rene Wegner (L), in action with cofounder Oliver Mueller during a Headis match at a park on April 30, 2010, in Cologne, Germany. Photo: Christof Koepsel
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 2006
Type: Indoor
Place of origin: Kaiserslautern, Germany
Prominence: Europe, China, Australia, Japan

Headis is a different version of table tennis, where players use their heads to serve a soccer ball instead of paddles and ping pong balls. Bleacher Report reveals the sport has expanded worldwide, where players participate in world championships.

One must possess exceptional heading skills to excel at the game. Since its inception in 2006, Headis has undergone significant growth and development.

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5. Kickball

People playing kickball on Roosevelt Island — On April 1, 2017, people were captured playing kickball on Roosevelt Island. Photo: Bill Tompkins
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1910
Type: Outdoor
Place of origin: United States
Prominence: USA, Canada, South Korea, China

Kickball is a distinct recreational activity similar to baseball and softball. The game is played on a field with diamond-shaped bases. It features two teams with eight to eleven players. Kickball rules state that when one team kicks the soccer ball, one side takes the field.

Like in baseball, the kicker's goal is to score runs by kicking the ball and then running the bases. The sport uses a giant rubber ball (like a playground ball).

4. Hacky sack

Sophmores playing Hacky Sack during break time — Kevin Kass(L), Sophmore from Brooklyn, and Kate Connolly(R), Sophmore from Staten Island, on a hacky sack circle at UAlbany in Albany, NY on April 16, 2009. Photo: Lori Van Buren
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1972
Type: Outdoor
Place of origin: United States
Prominence: Japan, Malaysia, China, Italy, USA

Hack sack demands a great deal of skill, yet anyone can pick it up with little to no practice because the rules are straightforward and the equipment needed is modest.

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Without touching it with your bare hands, you must maintain a small hemp ball filled with grains. It is common practice in group or team settings to strive to accumulate "hacks" by having each player touch the hacky sack once.

3. Footbag net

Picture of footbags — Two sets of beanbags in a competitive game of cornhole on a lumber platform on November 2018. Photo: David Tran
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1970s
Type: Indoor/outdoor
Place of origin: United States
Prominence: North America and Europe

Footbag net is a competitive sport that blends soccer, volleyball, and martial arts. The court size is smaller than a volleyball, with the net dividing the two halves. Both men and women play with the net set at 5 feet, 10 inches and 5 feet, 6 inches, respectively, using a little spherical bag filled with either sand or beads.

2. Indoor Soccer

Soccer players playing indoor soccer — Soccer players playing on an indoor court in February 2024. Photo: LordHenriVoton
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 1970s
Type: Indoor
Place of origin: United States and Canada
Prominence: United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe

Indoor football might be just as physically demanding as playing football outside. It is played on a surface similar to a basketball court or gymnasium, with five players per side, and using a ball that resembles a vast tennis ball but is the size of a soccer ball.

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The game has no boundaries; players can use the walls on either side of the court or pitch. Indoor soccer lasts for one hour and has unlimited substitutions.

1. Football Manager (FM)

A football manager planning her team before the live match — A woman uses the "United Managers" app to choose and vote for players for the French L1 football team AG Caen on August 30, 2018, in Lavau-sur-Loire, western France. Photo: Loic Venance
Source: Getty Images

Year founded: 2004
Type: Video game
Place of origin: United Kingdom
Prominence: Worldwide

Football Manager is a series of simulation video games where participants manage the world's best teams and create their football stories. It demands a deep comprehension of the game and aspects like formations, talent scouting, tactical decisions, and contract negotiations.

Frequently asked questions

Provided here is not an exhaustive list of all sports like football. These sports are the subject of the following frequently asked questions.

What two sports are similar?

In American football and rugby, the rules centre around downs, tackles, touchdowns and tries rather than goals. They share a familiar ball shape, typically oval and about the same size.

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What sport is similar to soccer?

Even though basketball is played on a court instead of a field, soccer's defensive and offensive methods are comparable. Players in both soccer and basketball dribble the ball.

Is Irish sport like soccer and rugby?

Irish football, or Gaelic football, is a hybrid of soccer and rugby. It is played against H-shaped goalposts, like in rugby. The sport features a round ball that is marginally smaller and heavier than a soccer ball.

Final word

Sports motivate us in our daily lives, no matter how similar or dissimilar they may be. Despite the different methods of play, sports like soccer games provide valuable life lessons to help one succeed mentally and physically.

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Authors

Kevin Omuya

Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.