Foosball players often ask how to win on foosball. In this guide, I will tell you share with you some crispy tips.
Foosball strategies are not like any other game because it involves developing a sound strategy that can help you win matches. Foosball is just as much a skill game as a mental game.
For some, learning how to dominate a match comes naturally. There are foosball players who have a sharp and fast response that works best, and as such, they bring it into the game whenever they deemed necessary. But for the rest of us, it’s more challenging to hang on to the game and find out what rules work and what doesn’t.
Like most games, you can try different strategies that teach you how to win in a Foosball game; once you learn the basics, you will need more than speed to overcome the top opponents. Most Foosball players focus 90% of their training on shots rather than passing and respecting their defense.
The tactic can give you the edge that you need. Can help players move forward and provide more skilled. Most players will tell you that the foosball game is more mental than physical. So if you want to learn how to evolve as a player and dominate any match, a proven strategy and action is all you need to make the difference you want to see happen in your competition.
Table of Contents
How to Win on Foosball
Follow the below steps;
- Take angled shots
- Don’t leave your Goalie alone.
- Make use of a short pass.
- Do not glide the Goalie back and forth.
- Take as many shots on goal.
- Don’t approach your Defenders.
- Follow the Rules of the game
Take angled shots
Basically, instead of hitting the ball head-on, use the player’s foot to pass the angle and repeat the shots on goal. These shots are more difficult to stop the goalies and can also be arranged using a wall to bend the ball.
Hold in right manner
It is important to hold the foosball handle correctly because it directly impacts on your game.
Don’t leave your Goalie alone.
Instead, always angle your goalkeeper and be in a position to block at least one defender shot. Creating this extra barrier between the ball and your goal will reduce your humiliation and statistically eliminate that embarrassing goalkeeper-goal around table scores. This small hole should be about 60% of the diameter of the ball located between your men.

Make use of a short pass.
It sounds like a brainer, but most players are happy to turn the handles’ top speed and guide the ball to the future. Instead, use short, controlled passes between your players to reduce the time your opponent can get a hold of the ball. If he can’t touch it, he can’t score it, can he?

Do not glide the Goalie back and forth.
Instinct tells us that we should glide the Goalie forward a bit like Tim Howard. Instead, keep the goalkeeper away from the center with the ball, depending on the method. You don’t need the whole figure to stop the bank shot – its small cleats are large enough to deflect – so you can cover more ground by keeping your position simple.

Take as many shots on goal.
This wild approach is vital. The goalkeeper cannot handle the ball like in real soccer, so the ball bounces off his feet and immediately returns to the game. Your best bet is to attack the target with as many shots as you can, hoping that your opponent can’t defend it. Subsequently, you can score an innumerable goal against your opponent.
Inline shots kicked from two of the defender’s five holes are likely to be ignored by 50%.

Don’t approach your Defenders.
Many foosball goals are scored because the defenders’ bodies are parallel to the foosball table, either due to negligence or weak tactics. Instead, approach your defenders directly so that they create a default barrier between the ball and the goal, even if you are not controlling them.

Follow the Rules of the game
You have to acquaint yourself with the rules of foosball to win because a break of some rules can harm your game. Thus, reducing your chances of winning the game, you would have won. Foosball is a social game, and as such, there are some rules about how players can behave during a match. The following set of rules applies to foosball players.
Get the best foosball table for your home.
What are the Rules of Foosball?
The Serve
Flip a coin to see who serves the 1st. Coin throw decides who serves first. The last team to score is served after a goal, after the ball is out, or after a neutral dead ball.
Start
Many casual players throw the ball in the middle of the playfield, but that doesn’t happen that way – instead, the winner of the coin throw decides whether they want to kick-off or pick a team. Whoever gets the kick gets the ball in the middle of their midfield 5-bar. For the rest of the game, the kicks off fuss whichever team conceded the last goal.
Before the game begins, the serving team must check that their opponent is ready, and – this is an exciting part – the ball must pass between two players on the 5-bar before being pushed forward.
Bear in mind that you cannot score a goal straight from kick-off- if you do that, it is considered invalid, and the ball starts again.
Restarting
The ball is restarted with a new kick in the following cases:
The foosball game will be restarted by the one who kicked it in the last turn, whenever it is thrown off the table.
If the ball cannot be reached by any player (known as a “dead ball”), it resumes as above. This option is favorable, but it’s a little complicated: if the starting ball dies at the kick-off, the restart is forfeited to the other team. So please don’t mess it up!
Time limit
Oh, yea! Trust me; you didn’t know there was a time limit in table football, did you? Well, stop telling people the wrong thing with the ball or making an unreasonable pull shot. The time limit starts as soon as the player touches the ball. A penalty beyond that is to restart midfield in the other team.
The time limit is:
- 5-bar: 10 seconds
- 3-bar: 15 seconds
- 2-bar: 15 seconds
The goalkeeper is inserted into the 2-bar, so try not to keep the ball down any longer.
Scoring
During an open game, any player can score a goal at any time – the only exception being after a 5-bar straight kick, and then the ball touches another player. A sneaky rule we didn’t know is that if the ball bounces into the goal and bounces back out of it, it still counts as a goal.
Players
Foosball is a collective game, and as such, several rules apply to how players behave during a match. Each team is allowed two time-outs of up to 30 seconds each. So this is the best time to do this if you need to strategize. Time-outs are only occupied by the team only when the ball is at a standstill – or, otherwise, the ball is not in play. If you are alone and want to practice check this guide.
If you are playing doubles, players can change sides from time to time or between balls. Sometimes it helps to put a new spin on things.
Foosball fouls
Most of these are already known, but it’s worth going over them again and again, especially if you’re playing with people who prefer to struggle by pushing the table forward is absolutely a good move (it’s not), or it’s spinning. Moving the foosball table once is acceptable (it is!).
- Turning the table
Even in the case of a dead ball, there is no turning around the table.
- Distraction
No screaming, no smoking, unnecessary pointing at people’s shoulders is not acceptable.
- Spinning
If the rod rotates more than 360 degrees before or after hitting the ball, it is wrong. Only one spin (known as a “snake shot”) is allowed.
- Game Ends!
1st team to score 5 points wins the game!
Read More: Best Foosball Air Hockey Combo Table
How to Win on Foosball: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get better at football?
- Improve yourself serving the ball.
- Develop a strategy to pass the ball from 5 bars to 3 bars.
- Improve one-shot focus strategy.
- Chase the foosball
- Use an open hand shooting strategy.
- A good defense provides a great offense.
- Maintain your control over the ball.
- Choose defense or offense.
How can you shoot harder in foosball?
Use an open grip
If done correctly, the loose grip will produce the most power. It isn’t easy to control the ball with an open grip. So I suggest that when you are preparing to shoot, use switching from grip to open grip. It is good to keep the grip loose enough, so it is a fluid motion.
Can you win by 2 in foosball?
Five goals are the winning position, but you must win by 2, up to a maximum of 8 points. If a dispute over the ball has entered the target, the officer should be called in to settle the dispute.
Conclusion
It is vital to create a well-rounded strategy that will allow you to face more challenging players. Practicing how to win in foosball has to do with building an exceptional strategy that works for you and your play style. Winning a foosball game is about learning how to lose, and it will also be about learning to be a better player and improve your strategy, shooting style, and offense and defensive skills.
Creating a strategy that works for you cannot be overemphasized!

Mark is a Bloomberg BusinessWeek-based digital entrepreneur, blogger, and table tennis enthusiast. He is a former professional table tennis player with the career-best USATT ranking of 2689. He is also an ITTF Level 3 certified coach and conducts weekend coaching programs in and around the New York area. Mark is also a pool player by passion. He was first introduced to the game of pool at a very early age by his granddad. He had a natural knack for the game and quickly learned the ropes, and by the time he was 15, he was already participating in local leagues. He aims to make it into the APA league someday! Mark started his own blog by starting Indoor Games Zone, where he loves to share his years of experience with the audience. He covers ping pong, pool, air hockey, shuffleboard, and foosball.
- Ping pong
- Pool
- Air Hockey
- Shuffleboard
- Foosball