---
title: "King of the Ring"
description: "Everyone dribbles in one small square: protect your own ball and knock the others out. Every knock-out scores, and a lost ball comes straight back in."
canonical: https://hobbit.football/drills/king-of-the-ring
language: en
publisher: Hobbit (https://hobbit.football)
---

# King of the Ring

> Everyone dribbles in one small square: protect your own ball and knock the others out. Every knock-out scores, and a lost ball comes straight back in.

U5 to U10 · 8 to 12 players · 15 × 15 m · 8 min

Also called Knockout, Knock Out, Shark!.

![Diagram of King of the Ring](https://hobbit.football/api/game-library/diagram/king-of-the-ring)

## How to play

1. For 8 to 12 players, mark a 15 by 15 metre square. Everyone has a ball and dribbles inside it.
2. Keep your own ball under control and try to knock other players' balls out of the square.
3. Every ball you knock out is a point. If yours goes out, fetch it and come straight back in.
4. Play 60 to 90-second rounds. The player with the most points is king of the ring; then play again.

## The decision it trains

Every second is a choice between attack and defence: go after someone else's ball, or keep your own safe. Attacking means leaving your ball for a moment, so the good choices come from looking first: who is close, who has their head down, who is near the edge. Defending means finding free space away from the traffic, or putting your body between the ball and whoever is coming.

## Make it harder or easier

- **Too hard:** grow the square to 20 by 20 metres, so there is room to escape.
- **Too easy:** shrink the square to 12 by 12 metres, so there is no quiet corner left.
- **Younger players:** start with one hunter without a ball who knocks balls out while everyone else only protects; whoever loses a ball becomes the next hunter.

## What to ask at the breaks

- "When did you go after someone's ball, and when did you keep yours safe?"
- "How did you pick who to go for?"
- "Where in the square was the safest place to be?"

## Where it comes from

No origin is documented; it is played in many countries. Soccer Coach Weekly in England and the FAI's grassroots booklet call it King of the Ring, New Zealand Football and US coaches Knock Out. Sources differ on a ball that goes out: out for good, a life lost, or straight back in. Finland's federation plays it in two squares, one inside the other, and the Italian FA's Gli autoscontri is a variant where you score by hitting another player's ball with your own.

## Documented by

- Canada Soccer (Canada): knockout format
- Italian FA (FIGC) (Italy): Gli autoscontri, Calcia fuori la palla
- Football Association of Finland (Finland): Kuljetusneliö
- German regional FAs (Bavaria, Hamburg, South Baden) (Germany): Dribbler und Balldiebe, Dribbler und Balldiebe im Team, Dribbler und Störenfriede, Bälle Klauen
- Football Australia (Australia): Shark!, Beehive
- AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) (United States): Pac Gal
- Swedish FA (Sweden)
- Danish FA (DBU) (Denmark): Tagfat
- US Youth Soccer (United States): Knockout, BUMPER BALL, KING OF THE RING, Everybody’s IT, Ball Tag
- Ontario Soccer (Canada): Duel World Cup, Demolition Derby, King of the Ring
- Japan FA (Japan)
- Irish FA (Northern Ireland) (United Kingdom)
- PA West Soccer (United States): Cowboys and Indians
- FIFA Training Centre (International)
- Massachusetts Youth Soccer (United States): Police Patrol, Crushing Monster
- Soccer Coach Weekly (United Kingdom): King of the Ring
- iCoachFootball (Ireland): King of the Ring
- Fencibles United AFC (New Zealand): Knock Out
- Sportplan (United Kingdom)
- SoccerXpert (United States): Knock Out
- Sport Session Planner (United Kingdom): Knockout

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