British Dodgeball uses the World Dodgeball Federation cloth ruleset, with some modifications. A full list of these modifications can be found in the British Dodgeball Regulations.

Our Rule Amendments to WDBF Rules include:

• Playing Area: Courts can be 8-9m wide and 16m long with a 2m neutral zone or 14m long with no neutral zone.
• Balls:
  • U11 and Primary School categories use 3x size 1 foam (6”) dodgeballs. Possession and stalling rules apply to a majority of 2 balls instead of 3 balls.
  • U13, U15, Secondary 7/8 and Secondary 9/10 categories use 5x size 2 cloth (6.5”) dodgeballs.
• Retrievers:
  • Teams must have 2 retrievers, but can agree to have an additional retriever.
  • In junior and school categories, adult retrievers (e.g. coaches or parents) must only be used as a last resort.
• Timings:
  • School events and u11 events play 5/6 sets of 2 minutes
  • College events play a single 10-minute match consisting of 2-minute sets
  • u13/u15/u18 (open)/university (open)/adult (open) categories play two halves of 8-minutes, consisting of 3-minute sets
  • u18 (league)/university (league)/adult (league) categories play two halves of 15-minutes, consisting of 3-minute sets
  • Final sets: If less than 1 minute remains, a 1-minute final set is announced (30s for university/adult open events)
• False Starts: u11 players are provided with one warning for their first false start offence in a half, where balls are reset and the rush begins again. For any subsequent false starts during that half, the team forfeits all balls to the opposing team.
• Headshots: A penalty is given for a close-range, powerful, direct, headshots at a target who is standing upright or high-kneeling and has made no attempt to dodge.
• Faceshots: u11/u13/u15 players are not eliminated if they are hit in the face by a ball, unless they are in movement and dodging low when struck.
• Invalid Attempts: u11/u13/u15 players may only be given an invalid attempt sanction if the referee deems them to be intentionally missing their target.
• Exiting Players:
  • u11/u13/u15 players are given one warning before receiving a blue card for not dropping balls in their possession once rendered out in front of the attack line.
  • School & college players may pass balls to teammates once rendered out, no matter where they are when rendered out.
• Sacrifice Play u11/u13/u15, school and college players may not remain in after a successful leap of faith.