Quick answer
A floorball is a hollow plastic ball, 72 mm across, with 26 holes and a weight of about 23 g. For home training you do not need a special ball, you need enough of them: 20 to 50 balls let you shoot for 10 minutes without stopping to collect. Keep a few balls in good shape for stickhandling and passing, and use the older, scuffed ones for hard shooting. The Floorball 50-Pack (€89) is the bulk option in our EU store.
Key takeaways
- Ball facts to remember: plastic, 72 mm, 26 holes, about 23 g.
- For shooting practice, the number of balls matters more than the brand. 20 balls is a minimum, 50 is comfortable.
- Balls wear out. Cracks, flat spots and enlarged holes change how the ball bounces and how it feels on the blade.
- Smooth surfaces such as floorball tiles are kinder to balls than rough concrete or gravel.
- Sort your balls into "touch balls" for ball control and "shot balls" for hard shooting.
- For official games, the match ball is set by your league or club, so ask them which ball is used.
What is a floorball made of and how big is it?
People new to floorball are often surprised by the ball. It is not the solid ball of hockey or the felt ball of tennis. It is a light, hollow plastic ball with holes, which is why it moves fast, but stops quickly in a net.
| Feature | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Plastic, hollow | Light enough to shoot hard and to carry a bucket of them |
| Diameter | 72 mm | Small enough to fit a blade, big enough to see in a scan |
| Holes | 26 | The ball is hollow and light |
| Weight | About 23 g | Fast to shoot, easy to lose in wind outdoors |
| Goal size | 160 x 115 cm | Roughly 22 balls wide, so aim is a real skill |
That last row is simple arithmetic: 160 cm divided by 7.2 cm is a little over 22. It is a good way to explain to a child why corner shots need precise aim.
How many balls do you need for training at home?
This is the question I hear most often from parents. The answer depends on what you do. Stickhandling and passing need one ball. Shooting needs many, because you do not want to stop and collect after every shot.
| Activity | Balls needed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stickhandling on tiles | 1–2 | The ball stays on your blade |
| Passing against a passer | 1–3 | The passer returns the ball; spare balls save chasing |
| Shooting at a net, casual | 10–20 | One round of shots, then collect |
| Shooting session, 10–15 minutes | 30–50 | You keep your rhythm and take 5 or more rounds |
| Small team session | 1 per player + 20 spare | Everyone keeps touching a ball |
The Floorball 50-Pack (€89) gives you enough to run a 100-shot session in 2 or 3 rounds. See the balls collection for the options. As a Swedish brand selling directly, the 50-Pack works out at less than €2 per ball.
What does a ball do to your game?
A floorball has a certain feel on the blade. Newer balls roll more evenly and are easier to control. Older balls have rougher spots and sometimes a small flat. That is not always bad. Here is how I use the difference.
- Touch balls (your 3–5 best). Round, clean, without deep scratches. Use them for stickhandling, passing and receiving. Control skills depend on a true roll.
- Shot balls (the rest). Fine for hard wrist shots, drag shots and shots against a net. A scuffed ball is not a problem when you are only checking the corner.
- Retired balls. Anything cracked, with a torn hole or squashed shape, goes in the bin. A cracked ball can break further in a hard shot and behaves unpredictably.
If you train on a smooth surface, such as the Extreme Floorball Tiles 8-Pack (€79), balls roll more evenly than on rough concrete. The tiles cover 0.9 m² and are Made in Europe, designed in Sweden and tested for maximum durability.
Coach Erik's tip: Keep two containers: a small box for your touch balls and a large bucket for shot balls. The moment a ball gets a crack or a flat spot, it moves from the touch box to the bucket, and later to the bin. Players who do this notice immediately when a ball has gone bad, instead of blaming their stick.
Does temperature change the ball?
Plastic reacts to the weather. In cold conditions a floorball feels harder and can crack more easily, so check your balls more often in winter. In summer heat, do not leave the bucket in a car or in direct sun for hours. Warm up a cold ball in your hands or a pocket before a stickhandling session. My full advice for winter is in training floorball outdoors in winter.
Three drills that use a big pile of balls
Balls are cheap training volume. These drills are built around quantity.
- 50-ball corner round (10 minutes). Place the balls in a bucket 4 m from the goal. Shoot 10 balls at the top left, 10 at top right, 10 at bottom left, 10 at bottom right and 10 free. Count the hits. Cue: say the target before each shot.
- Collect-and-go (8 minutes). Shoot 10 balls, then jog to collect and bring them back. Repeat 5 times. This is both conditioning and shooting. Watch for: shooting angle drifting when you are tired.
- Touch ball challenge (5 minutes). With one clean ball, count how many figure-eights you can do in 60 seconds without losing the ball. Write the score down and try to beat it tomorrow.
For a bigger plan, see 100 shots a day in floorball and floorball shooting drills at home. If you shoot at home, a net such as the Extreme Backstop Net 5x2,5 m (€129) keeps all those balls where you can reach them. Our net buying guide explains the sizes.
How do you keep balls in good shape?
- Wash dusty balls in lukewarm water with a little soap and let them air dry. Avoid hot water and radiators.
- Do a 30-second check each week: roll each ball on a flat surface and look at holes and seams.
- Store in a bucket or bag out of the sun, not under heavy objects.
- Count your balls after every session. Floorballs hide well in gardens and under cars.
More general care tips for sticks, nets and tiles are in caring for your floorball gear.
Common mistakes
- Training with only one or two balls. You spend more time walking than shooting. Fix: have at least 20 balls for shooting.
- Using cracked balls. They change speed and direction and can break further. Fix: retire any ball with a crack or deformed hole.
- Using the worst balls for stickhandling. A flat spot ruins your feel. Fix: keep a separate set of clean touch balls.
- Leaving balls outside in frost or sun. Fix: keep the bucket in a garage, hall or basement.
- Training on rough ground. Gravel and rough concrete wear the ball quickly. Fix: use a smooth surface such as tiles or a pad.
- Forgetting to ask about match balls. Fix: ask your coach or league which ball is used in games and practise with a similar one occasionally.
FAQ
What size is a floorball?
A floorball is 72 mm in diameter, has 26 holes and weighs about 23 g. It is a hollow plastic ball, which is why it is light and fast. This is the size used for the sport, so a training ball of the same size is the best choice for practice.
How many floorballs do I need for home training?
For stickhandling and passing, one or two. For shooting, 20 balls is the minimum and 50 is comfortable, because you can shoot for several minutes before you need to collect them. The Floorball 50-Pack (€89) is aimed at this purpose.
When should I replace a floorball?
Replace it when it has a crack, a torn or enlarged hole, or a flat spot that changes how it rolls. Scratches alone are normal. Use older but intact balls for hard shooting and keep clean ones for stickhandling and passing.
Do floorballs behave differently in the cold?
Plastic feels harder in cold weather and cracks more easily. Check your balls more often in winter, keep them in a warm room before use and avoid leaving them in a frozen garden or car overnight.
Can I use floorballs on any surface?
You can, but smooth surfaces are best. Floor tiles, a shooting pad or a clean sports floor let the ball roll true and wear it less than rough concrete, gravel or asphalt.
Do I need different balls for kids?
The ball size used in the sport does not change for children, so use the same 72 mm ball. Younger players often start with softer, lighter sticks and shorter sessions rather than a different ball. See our guide to getting kids started in floorball.
Summary
The ball is simple: plastic, 72 mm, 26 holes, about 23 g. What matters is how many you have and what shape they are in. Keep a few clean touch balls, a bucket of shot balls and retire any cracked ones. For volume shooting, the Floorball 50-Pack (€89) is the bulk option, and a net keeps them close. Explore more in the Equipment Guides hub.
