What Is Power Soccer?

Power soccer (also called powerchair football) is a fast, physical game played by athletes who use power wheelchairs. Each team has four players on the pitch at a time, including a goalkeeper, on a basketball court with an oversized ball.

Each chair has a footguard (a bumper on the front) used to kick, pass, and defend. Contact is part of the game, but intentional ramming and dangerous play are fouls.

Regulation play is two halves of 20 minutes each (from the current competition settings), with a short break at half-time. Same basic shape as soccer.

Like soccer, the clock does not always tell the whole story. When play is stopped for injuries, substitutions, or other delays, the referee can add stoppage time (extra time) at the end of the half so teams still get a fair amount of playing time. Watch for the board or listen for the referee near the end of each half.

Bracket games that need a winner can go to overtime. Overtime rules are set per event.

Only one teammate may be within about three meters (roughly ten feet) of the ball at a time while challenging an opponent who has possession. Two teammates crowding the ball is a 2-on-1 foul.

The goalkeeper is often treated differently inside their own goal area. Referees apply the published rule set for the event. A 2-on-1 usually results in a free kick or penalty depending on where it happens.

Sometimes the referee will “play on” instead of stopping immediately. If the team that was fouled still has a clear advantage for a moment (for example they keep the ball and a scoring chance), the ref may let play continue, then only call the foul if that advantage disappears. Same idea as advantage in soccer.

In the defending team’s own goal area (the “box”), a maximum of two defenders, including the goalkeeper, may be present at once.

If a third defender enters the box, the referee will call it. That results in an indirect free kick for the attacking team — not a penalty kick. Watch for the third chair crossing into the painted goal area.

When the referee awards a free kick, it is either direct or indirect. That decides whether a shot straight into the goal can count.

Direct free kick: the kicker can score without anyone else touching the ball. If it goes in cleanly, it is a goal.

Indirect free kick: the ball must be touched by another player (teammate or opponent) before a goal can be scored. If it goes straight into the net untouched, the goal does not count and play usually restarts with a goal kick or similar restart for the defending team.

Watch the referee’s signal: arms pointing or held up often tell you which kind of free kick it is. When in doubt, listen for the call.

Before the match, and often again afterward, chairs are speed-tested so no one has an unfair advantage. Officials time a short run and compare it to the competition speed limits.

Current limits in these settings: pre-match maximum 6.2 mph, post-match maximum 6.53 mph. The post-match limit is often a little higher so chairs that warmed up or changed slightly during the game are still checked fairly.

A failed test can mean a retest or that a chair is not allowed to play (or a result is reviewed) until it complies. This keeps the competition fair for every athlete.

You will often see two chairs battling for the same ball near the sideline. It looks like a 50-50, so who gets the restart?

Normally the referee awards the ball to the player who was trying to keep it in play, even if that chair ends up partly out of bounds. The other player is usually still in bounds, driving or forcing the ball out.

In the diagram: the green chair is partly over the line saving the ball; the red chair is parallel but still in bounds pushing it out. Green gets the restart.

Play starts with a kickoff from center court. After a goal, the team that was scored on usually restarts from center.

When the ball goes out over the end line, you may see a goal kick (defending team) or a corner (attacking team), similar to soccer. Over the sideline, play usually restarts with a kick-in. Listen for the referee’s whistle and watch which team places the ball.

A yellow card is a caution for a foul or misconduct. Multiple yellows in a tournament or season can lead to a suspension. Thresholds come from competition settings.

A red card means the player is sent off for the rest of that match (and often faces further suspension). The team continues with one fewer player on the court.

Footguard: the padded bumper on the front of the chair used to strike the ball.

Spin kick: using a spinning motion of the chair to generate a harder shot.

Pushing / ramming: illegal contact aimed at the opponent rather than playing the ball; whistled as a foul.

Goal area / box: the painted rectangle in front of each goal where “3 in the box” applies (restart: indirect free kick).

Stoppage / extra time: time the referee adds for delays, like soccer.

Direct free kick: can score without another touch.

Indirect free kick: another player must touch the ball before a goal counts.

Advantage / play on: ref lets play continue briefly when the fouled team still has the upper hand.

Out of bounds (two chairs): usually the player trying to keep the ball in gets the restart.