Typical board games have rules that are rather fixed, declarative, and not especially prone to interpretation. Subbuteo (table football/soccer) seems more like a sport where the game’s value is enhanced by a third party like a referee making judgments on play on the basis of agreed-upon rules. Players can elevate the quality of their matches when they know the rules and accept the referee’s informed judgment.
Many ASA members and players contributed to this project. A big thank you to each of the players for their assistance, insights, and kind sentiments. I hope that reading this guide and learning the FISTF rules will make us all better referees and help continue to improve the quality of Subbuteo table soccer in the United States.
Bryan Arnold ASA Executive Board and USA World Cup Team
