Balletic Hits and Bicycle Kicks: Teqball Comes of Age at the Asian Games

A fast-growing sport called teqball is making its debut at the Asian Games in Japan this weekend. Teqball mixes football and ping pong, and players use any part of their body except their hands to hit a soccer ball over a curved table. The sport was invented just over ten years ago in Hungary, and it is already being played in 147 countries. Thailand's top player, Jutatip Kuntatong, is one of the best in the world — and she only learned about the sport six years ago.

Jutatip, who is 28 years old, is the current world champion in teqball. She won both the singles and doubles titles at the most recent world championships, held in Transylvania in December. Now ranked number one in the world among women, she says her rise to the top happened quickly. "It feels like a dream because everything happened so fast," she said.

One reason Jutatip is so good at teqball is her background in sepak takraw, a traditional sport from Southeast Asia. Sepak takraw is sometimes called "foot volleyball," and it has been popular in the region for hundreds of years. Like teqball, players cannot use their hands or arms — they rely on powerful kicks and leg control. When Thailand started building its teqball team, coaches looked for players with a sepak takraw background, just like Jutatip.

Teqball was invented in Hungary when two friends began playing football on a ping pong table. They later designed the curved table that is now used in official matches. The game is scored like ping pong, with singles and doubles formats. Players can touch the ball up to three times before returning it, and they cannot hit the ball with the same body part twice in a row, which makes the sport tricky and creative.

László Vajda, the secretary general of the International Teqball Federation, says the rule about not repeating the same body part makes the sport "very intricate." He also says different countries have developed their own playing styles. Brazil players favor chest and head moves, while teams from central Europe use powerful side smashes. Southeast Asian players, influenced by sepak takraw, are known for their impressive bicycle kicks.

Thailand's national teqball coach, Somsak Duangmuang, coached sepak takraw for over 20 years before moving to teqball. He sees teqball as a great opportunity for his athletes to use the skills they already have in a new sport. "It's quite exciting for me, that I see an opportunity to bring a new challenge to our athletes," he said. He believes Thailand's sepak takraw tradition gives the team a strong advantage.

Teams from 16 nations are competing in teqball at the Asian Games this year. The sport has already appeared at the European and African Games, and organizers hope it will become an Olympic sport by 2032. Thai officials see the Asian Games as a big chance to attract younger players and grow the sport across the region. Major General Piyapat Jarunpong of the Teqball Association of Thailand put it simply: "It's a huge leap, to be honest."