Teqball has taken the sporting world by storm since its invention in 2014 in Hungary, becoming a favourite of football stars and celebrities like David Beckham and Ronaldinho in recent years. In such a short space of time there have already been three Teqball World Cups too! With only a Teqball table and a football (soccer ball) players can play up to five different games on this curved ping pong table, and with a table tennis ball and two bats it opens up a similar game in Teqpong too.
The inventor of Teqball, Gábor Borsányi, has a patent on the table until 2024, so the range of teqball tables available is fairly slim, but each of the three to choose from offers something different and appealing to all types of players. We’ve reviewed all three to make buying the right one for you simple, from the cheap Teqball table to the more advanced, we’ve got them covered.
Have a read of our detailed Buying Guide, covering the official Teqball rules and regulations and what to think about when choosing, as well as the space you need to play, the equipment and more.
What is Teqball?
Teqball is a game played on a specially designed curved ping pong table (the Teq table) using a soccer ball or English football. The aim of the game is to score more points than your opponent by making the ball bounce on their side without using your hands or arms and in no more than three touches of the ball. It requires good technical ability and ball control, with the option of playing a singles game or doubles, each over a 3 set match where a set is won when one player reaches 20 points.
In this review, we discuss;
Why buy a Teqball table?
1. 5 games on one table
Teqball is by far the most common game played on a Teq table, but there are in fact five different games to choose from which is a huge benefit in buying a Teq table. Other fun games to play include Qatch and Teqpong. Qatch is played by two teams of three players, with one team member acting as the defender standing on the opponent’s side of the table. Teqpong is similar to table tennis and is considered a racket sport, but is more offensive as one player is declared the winner if the rally goes on for longer than 12 shots. The other two games are Tequis and Teqvolley.
2. Minimal accessories
Unlike some other games tables such as pool, snooker or even table tennis, Teqball only requires two elements to play: a Teq table and a football (soccer ball). And with a good range of prices in the tables available, it can certainly be one of the less expensive table sports to play. Just remember to pump up your football or soccer ball a little firmer than normal to achieve a good bounce, and that’s all the equipment you’ll need.
3. Improve your football skills
Invented as a gender neutral sport to improve the technical skills of football players, Teqball is a brilliant way to improve your ball control, body control and spatial awareness. A big part of the game is to control the ball in the air with minimal touches, and be aware of your teammates around you, all whilst aiming for a relatively small playing area so accuracy is crucial. One of the most famous footballers in the world, David Beckham, is an advocate.
4. Indoor and outdoor
One of the benefits of buying an official Teq table is their strong, waterproof design making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor play. As the most common game played on them is Teqball, most people will choose to put their table outside to take advantage of more space which immediately makes the game more exciting but challenging too, but Teqpong can be easily played indoors. If you’re interested in both indoor and outdoor game play it’s worth considering a folding Teq table.
Top 3 Teqball tables to buy
1. Teq Lite Teqball Table
The Teq Lite Teqball Table was the third version introduced with the aim of making the sport a whole lot more accessible, and it’s safe to say they’ve certainly achieved this. At less than half the price of the Teqball One, the Teq Lite is a brilliant option for newcomers to the sport who want a hiqh quality, sturdy table to play on, or for footballers looking for new ways to improve their technical ability. For convenience, the Teq Lite is easily portable with large wheels and a vertical folding system with safety lock. The whole table is resistant to water, sun (UV) and sturdy enough to protect it from heavy winds making it suitable for playing outdoors. We highly recommend this table for everyone playing Teqball for the first time.
Key features:
- Price: £
- Folding: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
- Net: Polyethylene (black, opaque)
- Retailer: Liberty Games
- Warranty: 24 months
2. Teqball One Table
The Teq One is the more robust, sturdy table that’s built to stay in one place whether outdoors or indoors and so is fully waterproof and UV resistant. Its strong, cross-legged design and metal chassis & frame make it incredibly long-lasting and built for performance too, ensuring a consistent bounce. Unlike the Teq Lite, the Teqball One Table has a single piece of transparent plexiglass for the net to make sure the players’ view of the ball is never obstructed. For more advanced players wanting to compete in tournaments this can be a very useful benefit. With its orange frame and dark grey playing surface, it’s a very stylish-looking table to be enjoyed for a long time.
Key features:
- Price: ££
- Folding: Fixed leg
- Waterproof: Yes
- Net: Plexiglass (transparent)
- Retailer: Liberty Games
- Warranty: 24 months
3. Teqball Smart Table
Considered the premium Teq table on the market, the Teqball Smart Table brings all the benefits of the two other tables into one incredibly robust, stylish, and easily portable Teqball table. It’s built to the same regulations and strength as the One but with a compact folding system to be folded vertically and pushed away for storing on its castor wheels. The Smart is the preferred option for players who have been playing the sport for some time and looking to advance their skills in any of the five games that can be played on this table. There is no more advanced Teq table on the market than the Teqball Smart, so this is as good as it gets, and it won’t disappoint.
Key features:
- Price: £££
- Folding: No
- Waterproof: Yes
- Net: Plexiglass (transparent)
- Retailer: Liberty Games
- Warranty: 24 months
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Buying Guide
With only three Teqball tables to choose from, finding the best one for you is pretty easy to do, but it’s also useful to understand the other aspects of buying a Teqball table such as the rules of play, the amount of space you need to play and any other equipment. We answer all these questions and more in our simple Buying Guide.
How to play Teqball
Teqball can be played with two or four players, set up with a net down the middle and two service lines 3.5 metres (11.5ft) away from the halfway line. Each team aims to get the ball to touch the opponent’s side of the court using no more than 3 touches and without the use of arms or hands, in the hope that they won’t be able to return it and a point is awarded. The ball can only touch each side of the playing area once for it to still be in play. One important rule is the repeated touch rule, meaning each team must not return the ball with the same body part consecutively in a rally. The game is played as a best of three set, with a set being won when a team reaches 12 points. The Teqball official rules and regulations are updated each year.
Playing area
There is a difference in the playing area required for an official competition match of Teqball and what you need for an amateur game. According to FITEQ, a regulation match is played with a playing area that’s 10m (33ft) wide and 12m (39ft) long, so a very large space indeed. If you have that much room then great, but if not there’s no need to worry. You can comfortably play a game of Teqball in an area of 6m (19ft) in width and 8.5m (28ft) in length, giving you enough room to serve, but the smaller the playing area the more difficult and technical the game becomes. If you have space for a Teqball table outside where you’re less likely to have thick walls, that would certainly be preferred.
Equipment
Teqball can be played with a standard size football (soccer ball), so as long as you have that and one of the three Teq tables you can start playing right away. In the same way with Teqpong, this can easily be played using bats or paddles from table tennis and the same ping pong balls too. The sport was designed to make playing it extremely accessible, which is clear in the price of a table and the minimal equipment required.
Storing a Teqball table
Of the three Teq tables available, two of them are easily portable and can be folded. One of these folding Teq tables is the cheapest option and the other is the most expensive. If it’s important to you that you can store your table out of the way when not in use, we would recommend the Teq Lite Teqball Table or the Teq One Teqball Table. Each has a compact folding system for them to be stored vertically, and have safety features too.
FAQs
What is a repeated touch in Teqball?
A repeated touch in Teqball is known as the repeated return rule which requires that the same team or player never returns the ball to the other side of the court using the same body part consecutively within the same rally. For example, players can use their head to return the ball, but on their next go must use a different body part such as their foot or chest. In doubles this rule applies to the entire team meaning one player can not return the ball with their head if the other player on their team has done so in their previous return in the same rally.
What is Teqpong?
Teqpong is very similar to table tennis with the main difference being the size and shape of the table. Teqpong is played on a Teq table which resembles a curved ping pong table that is 3m (9.8ft) in length and 1.5m (4.9ft) wide. After the ball is served each player has 15 shots to win the point, and if they do not the point is automatically awarded to the opponent (non server).
Conclusion
Teqball was invented to be one of the most accessible table sports in the world, and since then has been adopted by some of the most well known footballers or soccer players in the world as a way for players to improve their technical skills. And it’s only growing in popularity too. With three options of Teqball table to choose from, our strong recommendation for newcomers to the sport is the highly affordable Teq Lite Teqball Table, as it’s easily folded and stored away for convenience and is built to last, making it a great value choice. For players happy to pay a bit more for an even stronger table that has a very stylish look to it, the Teqball One Table is for you.
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Co-founder at Mancaves HQ
A true man cave enthusiast. When he isn't trawling through Instagram looking for new ideas, you can find him navigating through the streets of London.
