Button Football - “1 Touch” Rule
System
BUTTON FOOTBALL (Futebol de
Botao) is a traditional game
played in many parts of the world.
The Confederacao Brasileira de
Futebol de Mesa says that “1
Touch” is the most played rule
system in Brazil. Note - Text in
italics are suggestions
NUMBER OF PLAYERS Two players
AIM OF THE GAME The team
scoring the greater number of
goals during a game is the winner.
If both teams score an equal
number of goals or if no goals are
scored, the game is drawn. A
penalty shoot-out or extra-time
could be a way to decide drawn
games if wished.
WHAT IS A GOAL? A goal is scored
when a shot has been declared
(see section 4) and the whole of
the ball passes over the goal line,
between the goalposts and under
the crossbar or as an own goal
(see section 12).
THE DURATION OF THE GAME
50 minutes, 2 halves of 25
minutes. Or, any agreed duration.
1) BOARD & PIECES
1a) BOARD DIMENSIONS The
playing area must be rectangular.
The length of the touchline must
be greater than the length of the
goal line.
1b) PIECES A game is played by
two teams, each consisting of 10
buttons in the shape of discs as
well as one goalkeeper in the
shape of a rectangular block with
the dimensions of 38 mm X 60 mm
X 20 mm, whose face measuring
20 mm x 60 mm must always be
placed on the board. The ball is a
biconvex disc with a diameter of
10 mm.
2) SET-UP See section 7
3) A PLAYER’S TURN At their
respective turn, each team has
one (1) touch. A button is moved
by pressing a pick, finger nail or
comb (will be referred from now
on as a pick) from on its edge to
make it slide. A button can never
be pushed or flicked.
4) SHOT ON GOAL Shots on goal
are only allowed when the ball is
entirely in the opponent’s
defensive half and it is the
attacker’s turn. The attacker
must declare his intention to
shoot before taking his/her turn.
Once the attacker has declared
his intention to shoot he/she must
wait for the defender to position
their goalkeeper and authorize the
shot. If any part of the ball is
touching the midline (if unsure,
look from above), the shot on goal
is not allowed. If a signal
announcing the end of a period of
play is given right after a shot on
goal is announced (or a direct foul
happens), the shot (or direct free
kick) can still be taken. The shot
ends when the ball stops moving.
If that shot on goal caused a
direct foul, the opponent will be
allowed to take the direct free
kick (see section 9).
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A shot on goal is not allowed it enters the goal but a goal was
from: regular throw in, regular not scored.
corner kick, kick off, indirect free
5.2) If the touch that caused the
kick, first touch of a 2 touches
goal kick started on the defensive
throw in, first touch of a 2 touches
half of the team that kicked it out
corner kick and first touch of a 2
of bounds and the ball did not
touches free kick.
touch any other buttons (went
5) MANIPULATION OF BUTTONS straight out of bounds) and did
Once the game has started not roll on its side, neither team
buttons may be arranged in two can arrange their buttons.
situations only: after a goal is
6) MANIPULATION OF THE
scored or at a goal kick. When
GOALKEEPER The goalkeeper has
arranging the buttons at a goal
to always be placed entirely
kick, a distance of at least 6 cm
within the goal area (small box). It
has to be kept from the
can be manipulated with the other
opponent’s buttons. At least 3
players during kick off and goal
buttons have to be placed in the
kick. It can also be manipulated
offensive half.
during his/her team’s turn or when
The order of arranging the buttons the opponent declares a shot on
is as follows: first, the team goal.
taking the goal kick arranges his
7) KICK-OFF Each team places 5
buttons on his offensive half.
buttons within 6 cm (but not
Second, the opponent arranges
touching) the midline and 5
his buttons on his offensive half.
buttons anywhere on its defensive
The team taking the goal kick
half. No buttons from the
arranges his buttons on his
defending team are allowed inside
defensive half and, finally, the
the center circle. The team taking
opponent arranges his buttons on
the kick off places 2 buttons
his defensive half. Any button
inside of the half center circle
touching the midline is considered
located on their defensive half.
to be in his team’s defensive half.
One of the 2 buttons placed in the
These are the situations where center circle is used for the
the whole team can be opening kick-off. The team takes
manipulated but the team can 2 consecutive turns. On the 1st
also pick up a button to take a touch, the ball must move forward
free kick, throw in or corner kick. and not leave the center circle
and on the second touch (a
5.1) A goal kick can be taken with
different button must be used) the
the ball anywhere inside the
ball must leave the circle
penalty area. It is also a goal kick
otherwise a technical foul is
when the ball ends a turn inside
called. The team is not allowed to
the goal area (small box) or when
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System
shoot on goal on either touch. In
friendly matches, it is common
practice to start each period and
to restart the game after a goal
with a goal kick rather than a
kick off.
8) BUTTONS WHICH GO OUT OF
BOUNDS When a button goes out
of bounds, it is placed back in the
field touching the line from the
outer side on the exact point
where it left the field after the
opposing team’s next turn and
cannot participate on its team’s
following turn. On the other hand,
this button can always be used to
take a direct or indirect free kick,
throw in or corner kick.
When an opposing button ends a
turn inside the goal area, it is
placed inside the penalty area
with its edge barely touching the
goal area on the exact point
where it entered the area. When a
button of the same team ends a
turn inside the goal area, it may
be left where it is or it may be
placed inside the penalty area
with its edge barely touching the
goal area also at the exact point
where it entered the area
depending its team’s choice.
If the position where the player
left the field or entered the goal
area is blocked by another button
or the ball, the button has to stay
out of the field until that position
clears.
9) FOUL A direct foul or a direct
free kick will be called when:
•A button from the team taking
the turn touches an opposing
team’s button or goalkeeper
before or at the same time it
touches the ball.
•The ball (while in bounds)
touches or is touched by the pick
or body of one of the players.
The free kick is taken from the
spot of the foul.
9.1) Buttons from the opposing
team close to the spot of the foul
are pushed away and placed 6 cm
away from it. Buttons from the
same team may or may not be
pushed back according to the
team’s choice.
9.2) If the foul is in the defensive
half of the team taking the free
kick, the team will be allowed to
play 2 consecutive turns (2
touches). The second touch may
be a shot on goal if the ball is in
the offensive half (see section 4
above). If the ball touches an
opposing player during the first
turn, the team loses the second
turn. The button who took the
first touch, cannot take the
second.
9.3) If the foul is in the offensive
half, a direct shot on goal can
(and should) be taken or the team
may choose to take a 2 touches
free kick as above.
9.4) A foul on the goalkeeper is
taken with the ball placed
anywhere inside the penalty area.
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9.5) Indirect fouls or indirect free
kicks or technical fouls are
called:
•When the ball stops on top of or
under a button (against that
button’s team).
•During the kick off if the ball
leaves the center circle after the
first touch or doesn’t leave it after
the second (see section 7)
•When the ball is totally inside the
triangle formed by the outer
edges of 3 buttons from the same
team that are 18 cm or less apart.
•When the ball is completely
inside the rectangle formed by the
outer edges of 2 buttons of the
same team that are 6 cm or less
apart and it is not cleared by the
end of that team’s turn. Or, if this
happens again on the turn after
the turn it was originally cleared.
•When any technical foul takes
place (delay of game, improper
conduct, etc.).
- During these, the opposing
players are still pushed back to 6
cm away from the ball. The team
then takes a simple turn from the
spot of the foul.
•Special: Buttons that took a
regular throw in, regular corner
kick, kick off, indirect free kick,
first touch of a 2 touches throw in,
first touch of a 2 touches corner
kick or first touch of a 2 touches
free kick, cannot be played again
before the ball has been touched
by a different button in a
subsequent turn. If this illegal
move occurs, the buttons and ball
should be repositioned and the
turn replayed. The opposing team
is advised to give a warning to
prevent this from happening.
10) PENALTY SHOTS A penalty
kick is awarded against a team
which commits any of the
offences for which a direct free
kick is awarded, inside its own
penalty area. Any button touching
the penalty area’s line is
considered to be inside the
penalty area. The penalty shot
must take place in the following
manner: buttons are removed
from the penalty area and the ball
is placed completely covering the
penalty mark. First, the attacker
places the button he will be using
and then the defender properly
places the goalkeeper on the line,
which must be partially apparent
in front of the goalkeeper.
11) THROW IN/CORNER KICK A 2
touches throw in or corner kick is
awarded if the ball is on the
defensive half of the team taking
the turn and it is shot straight out
of bounds still within the
defensive half without rolling on
its side and without touching
another button from the same or
the opposing team. The 2 touches
throw in or corner kick are taken
exactly like the 2 touches free
kick (see section 9). In all other
situations, a regular throw in or
corner kick is given against the
team of the button which last
touched or was touched by the
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System

ball. These are taken like the

indirect free kick (see section 9).

12) OWN GOAL An own goal is

only awarded if from a defender’s
turn: The whole of the ball passes
over the goal line, between the
goalposts and under the crossbar.
The ball started and never left the
team’s defensive half during its
turn.