Floorball: Hockey’s Fun, Friendly Cousin with a big Smile :-)

20 funny or interesting facts about floorball:

 

(1) Nobody knows where floorball was first invented

 

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Canada and the US all claim that the game originated in their country, as locals found a way to play ice hockey even when it was not snowing or icy outside! The first modern game of floorball was played in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1968, but versions of the game have been played as early as 1958 in the US. In Canada, it was known as “ball hockey,” while in the U.S. it was called “Cosom hockey,” named after the stick manufacturer Cosom.

 

(2) Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country to play floorball

 

Floorball only made its way to Singapore in 1994, when it was introduced by Swede brothers, Filip and Stefan Dahlgren. Many people thought it was unlikely that a sport coming from ice hockey would ever become popular in hot and sunny Southeast Asia, but the Dahlgren brothers had other ideas. Starting with Singapore, they introduced floorball to the rest of region.

 

(3) It goes by several names

 The sport is called salibandy (“hall bandy”) in Finland and innebandy (“indoor bandy”) in Sweden and Norway. This is to differentiate it from bandy, a winter sport that can be played outdoors.  Floorball also goes by the name unihockey in Switzerland and Ireland. This is a shortened version of “universal hockey,” which is a simplified version of hockey other sources belive that the name unihockey comes from the floorball lable "unihoc". In other Countries there are also different names used like saalihoki (in Estonia),  unihokej (in Poland) and grindų riedulys (in Lithuania). In Germany it was first called also unihockey but changed to the international version floorball but some clubs still use unihockey in there names.  

 

(4) Floorball is played on a rink

 

Although the playing area looks similar to that of a table tennis court, it is actually called a ‘floorball rink’. This is because it draws its name from ice hockey, which is also played on rinks. The rink is 50cm high. 

 

(5) It is a wheelchair friendly sport

 

Floorball is a fast-paced sport that emphasis speed, skill and technique rather than physical strength, making it a great sport for people with disabilities. Floorball sticks and balls are also very lightweight and do not pose much threat of injury.  Wheelchair floorball can be played with the exact same rules as a typical floorball game. However, when floorball became an official sport at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, teams played 3-on-3 (instead of the usual 5-on-5).

 

(6) International Floorball Federation

 

The International Floorball Federation (IFF) was founded by the Swedish, Finnish and Swiss Floorball Associations in 1986, the International Floorball Federation (IFF) has both Ordinary and Provisional member countries. Currently the IFF has a total of 80 member countries.

 

(7) Fastest recorded floorball shot

 

One of the fastest recorded floorball shot is reportedly 205 km/h (127 mph), attributed to Finnish player Otto Tikka. While there's no standardized system for measuring speeds, professional shots frequently reach speeds of around 170 km/h (105 mph). This is almost as fast as an NHL slap shot.

 

(8) Basic rules of floorball

 

- No high sticking. Blade must stay below player's waist. If ball is played with any part of the stick above the knee, it is a foul
- No slashing. Do not hit your opponent's stick or body
- No lifting, pushing, or kicking the opponent's stick
- You cannot reach between your opponent's legs with your stick
- Do not play the ball with your hand or head if you are not the goali 
- Do not jump to reach the ball

 

(9) NHL Teams also offer a floorball program

 

There are serveral NHL teams who offer a floorball program for example New York Islanders, Dallas Stars Seattle Kraken and Ottawa Senators.

 

(10) Floorball stick 

 

Floorball sticks are made of carbon fiber or composite, just like pro hockey sticks. Competition sticks have to be certified for minimum shaft flexibility. Too stiff or too long? — not allowed in official games.

 

(11) Floorball is also played at schools 

 

Floorball is a favorite school PE activity in Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland — kids start playing very young. 

 

 

(12) Floorball live broadcasts

 

Many floorball matches from national and international tournaments are broadcast live, even on national television in countries like Sweden and Finland. Many clubs also broadcast their games for free on platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

 

 

(13) It’s Popular with NHL Pros

 

Some NHL players train with floorball sticks in the off-season to improve stickhandling, because the light ball forces faster reaction and better soft hands.

 

(14) Biggest international win in history

 

The largest recorded victory in international floorball was 53–0 (Japan vs. India, Women’s WFC Qualifications 2019) — a record that shocked even the IFF.

 

(15) The ball’s holes are not random

 

The official floorball has exactly 26 holes — positioned symmetrically for stability. This design was computer-optimized in Sweden to reduce wobble at high speed.

 

(16) Ball weight ss strictly regulated

 

An official floorball must weigh 23 ± 1.3 grams — any heavier or lighter and it’s not legal for competition.

 

(17) Different ball colors for TV

 

In international tournaments, white balls are used on dark floors and orange balls on light floors to maximize TV visibility — the ball color is part of official match regulations.

 

(18) Game balls are UV-Tested

 

Certified balls are tested for color stability under UV light so they stay visible under arena lighting.

 

(19) Shaft flex is measured at 30 kg

 

Manufacturers measure how far the shaft bends under 30 kg pressure to define flex (e.g. 26mm).

 

(20) Some leagues allow mixed teams

At recreational levels, men and women can play together officially, which is rare in most team sports.