The multiball system in football permits a match immediately to resume with another ball when the original match ball goes out of play. The International Football Association Board laws of the game were changed for the 2006/2007 edition to make it legal to use more than a single ball per game.
Traditionally, professional football matches employ the use of a single ball, and when the ball leaves the field of play, the game pauses until the ball is returned. According to the Laws of the Game, the ball may be changed on the "authority of the referee" if it "bursts or becomes defective",1 though typically it will also be replaced if kicked out of the stadium.
However, a new system was introduced by some football leagues and associations to increase the number of match balls used per game.2 In the multiball system, a number of match balls, often seven,3 are held by ball boys around the edge of the pitch. When one ball leaves the field of play, the nearest ball boy will release another ball to a player, allowing the game to resume immediately. The system is used for UEFA European club tournaments, international competitions and the FIFA World Cup. The Premier League introduced the system in 2022-23, initially with 10 balls,4 and as of 2026 uses 15 balls - one on the field of play, one with the fourth official, and 13 distributed around the field.5 The English Football League mandated the multiball system from the 2023-24 season;6 prior to this home teams had been free to choose whether to use the system27 The National League introduced the multiball system from the 2025-26 season, with 10 balls (one on the field of play, one with the fourth official, and eight distributed around the field8
Multiball system use
| Nation | Competition | Multiball system | Single match ball | Optional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | Premier League | 
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| England | Football League |
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| England | FA Cup |
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| England | EFL Cup |
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| UEFA | UEFA European Championship |
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| UEFA | UEFA Champions League |
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| UEFA | UEFA Europa League |
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Criticism
While some commentators and managers support the system for maintaining the speed and flow of the game, others suggest that the way the system is implemented favours the home team.29
Ballboys influencing matches
On 26 December 2023, while playing away at Bournemouth, the Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno pushed a Bournemouth ballboy in frustration while taking the football from him after it went out of play. The referee, Tim Robinson, asked for the Bournemouth stadium ballboys to retire from their duties, resulting in the cancellation of the multiball system for the rest of the match. Leno apologised to the boy during a later break in play.10
References
References
- Footnotes
- Citations
- The Rules of Association Football, 1863: The First FA Rule Book, Bodleian Library, 2006
- Chick Young's column, BBC Sport, 17 January 2006. Retrieved 16 March 2007
- Burnley 2-2 Derby, BBC Sport, 27 August 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2007
- What's new for 2022/23: Multiball system - Premier League, 3 Aug 2022
- Multiball Protocol - Premier League, 9 Sep 2025
- Match Officials adopt new approach for 2023/24 season - EFL, 28 Jul 2023
- Angry Ollie wants his ball back Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, TeamTalk.com, Retrieved 16 March 2007
- Multiball Introduced For 2025/26 Enterprise National League Season - National League, 4 July 2025
- Paul Baker. Havant admit multi-ball was a 'bit of a cock up' Dorset Echo, 16 January 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2007
- Fisher, Ben (2023-12-26). "Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno could face FA action after pushing ballboy". The Guardian.