Many foosball players take the game of foosball very seriously. When a foosball fan is shopping for a table, they pay attention to all the details, how smooth the bars roll, the quality of the playing surface, and the overall durability of the table. But what about the foosball balls? This is often a feature that goes overlooked, but if you’re not playing with the best foosball balls, then you’re not getting the most out of your table, and its playing action. If you’re looking for a way to take your game up a notch, then this guide will steer you in the right direction.

I’ve put together an in-depth buyer’s guide that will help you find the perfect foosball balls for your table and will discuss how to choose the right type and how different types of balls can impact your playing experience. Below, you’ll see a comparison chart that includes the five sets of balls that made it onto my list, each ball’s best features, and how each one is rated.

Foosball Balls Comparison Chart

Product	Material	Number of Balls	Type	Our Rating
Bank Shot Billiards Cork Foosballs Shop On Amazon!	Cork	4	Cork
Tornado Official Foosball Balls Shop On Amazon!	Urethane	3	Smooth
Colonel Pickles Novelties Foosball Balls Shop On Amazon!	Plastic	14	Traditional
Brybelly Textured Foosball Balls Shop On Amazon!	Plastic	12	Textured
OuMuaMua Foosball Table Balls Shop On Amazon!	Plastic	9	Traditional

Bank Shot Billiards Cork Foosballs

Our Rating: (5/5)

If you’re looking for the same type of foosball balls that the pros use, then this set by Bank Shot Billiards delivers. This set includes four wood-colored foosballs that are made out of cork. Cork balls have a much quieter bounce compared to balls that are made out of ABS plastic. They’re also much lighter and weigh just half an ounce. Their lighter weight makes them faster, while the cork material makes them easier to pin, grip, and control. These balls are bouncier than other types of foosball balls and have a surface that makes them easier to grip. They’re also regulation size, so they can be used in a pro tournament and are great balls to train with.

Conclusion

These cork foosball balls will work well with any type of regulation-size foosball table. They feature a lightweight design and a texture that makes the balls easy to pin and grip, so they can definitely boost your performance and will allow you to train like a pro.

Tornado Official Foosball Balls

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This set of three foosball balls are made by the popular foosball table manufacturer Tornado. These balls are the official Tornado replacement balls, so if you have a Tornado table and you’re looking to upgrade your old balls, these balls will be a perfect fit. The balls are made out of 100% urethane, for a more durable design and balls that can handle intense and rough gameplay. The balls are precision machined and measure in at 1.365 inches. These balls feature a perfect roundness and are said to be much rounder than competing balls on the market. The rounder design means better ball control and smoother rolling action.

Conclusion

These balls are made out of urethane for a tougher build that can handle rough gameplay and tough strikes. The rounder design promises smoother rolling action, faster gameplay, and better-than-average ball control. These durable balls are also more resistant to wear compared to lower-priced balls made out of ABS plastic.

Colonel Pickles Novelties Foosball Balls

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This fourteen-ball set by Colonel Pickles is designed to look just like soccer balls, which can make foosball more fun for the whole family. These traditional style foosball balls are made out of high-quality plastic that can handle fast gameplay. These balls are designed for the casual foosball player or the beginner and offer better than average durability. However, these traditional balls are not recommended for professional players and are not tournament-worthy. They also tend to crack with harder strikes. Fortunately, this set includes fourteen balls that are available at a low price, so their lack of durability is a fair tradeoff.

Conclusion

These balls may not be pro quality, however, if you need an affordable set of foosball balls for the kids, this set offers excellent value. These balls do tend to crack when harder strikes are used, but that’s typically par for the course with traditional style foosball balls. Overall, the balls offer excellent value for the price, but if you’re looking for pro-quality balls, then you’ll want to pass these traditional balls by and opt for textured or cork balls instead.

Brybelly Textured Foosball Balls

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This set of twelve textured Brybelly foosball balls provides a nice grippy texture that improves ball control and adds much-needed friction. The bright red color of the balls improves visibility and eye-tracking. These textured balls can handle harder hits compared to balls that are made out of cork and offer better than average speed. The ball’s design allows for better gripping and trapping and makes it easier to manipulate the ball via the men’s feet. These balls are also regulation size, so they’re perfect for the pros and can be used in tournaments or for training purposes.

Conclusion

These balls are a great choice for both beginners and pros. The grippy texture makes it easier for players to grip and trap the ball, while the ball’s durability allows you to use your most powerful shots without the fear of the ball cracking. These regulation balls offer the type of performance all players are looking for and are available at a price that won’t break the bank.

OuMuaMua Foosball Table Balls

Our Rating: (4/5)

This set of nine traditional foosball balls by OuMuaMua feature vibrant colors that will make a round of foosball more fun for the kids. These balls measure in at 1.42 inches, so they may not work with every table. Before you buy, measure your table to determine if these balls will be compatible. The balls are heavier than average, weighing just 0.85 ounces. The heavier weight of the balls will prevent them from flying off the table with harder strikes, making these balls a good choice for kids and beginners. However, if you’re a pro and looking for balls you can train with, you’ll be better off training with regulation-size balls.

Conclusion

These balls are not regulation size, which can be a drawback for serious players who are searching for tournament-quality balls to train with. However, these balls are perfect for kids and beginners, thanks to their heavier design. Additionally, the size of the balls may make them unsuitable for all foosball tables, so you will need to measure your table to determine if these balls will be compatible before you buy. Overall, the balls feature a durable design, offer decent speed and smoothness, and won’t go flying off the table with powerful shots.

Foosball Balls Buyer’s Guide

After you’ve purchased the best foosball table and played a few rounds, did you find the ball didn’t offer the type of smooth and fast-rolling action it should? This is pretty common with low-quality balls that come standard with tables. Have you ever wondered if they are different foosball balls to choose from? There actually are. If you want to improve your performance, then upgrading the foosball balls you use can have a positive impact on how you play the game, how fast or slow the action is and can even help you gain better control of the ball, even in a fast-paced game.

Before I go over the features to look for in a new set of foosball balls, I’ll go over the different types of balls to choose from.

Types of Foosball Balls

In the game of foosball, there are several types of balls to choose from. When it comes to replacing or upgrading your foosball gear, balls are by far the easiest and most affordable upgrade. In fact, using certain types of balls can be a total game-changer. The type of ball you use can influence your style of play, the techniques you can use, and the speed of a game.

There are four main types of balls to choose from, each of them is different in each of the following areas:

Before you decide on the type of ball you want, you need to determine what you want from your game. Some balls are only used by pro-level players, while others are a better choice for casual players or beginners.

Some balls can also be pricier than others. These are usually high-quality pro-style balls.

Traditional

Traditional balls are the cheapest and their performance isn’t exactly anything to write home about. This standard type of ball is a better choice for the casual player or beginner. In many cases, people will choose a traditional style ball do so for aesthetic reasons since these balls are usually available in a wide range of colors and designs.

These balls are usually made out of plastic, which can be difficult to control once you begin playing since they’re very bouncy. Still, even if you’re a pro at foosball, these balls can still be fun to play with. If you’re looking for balls you can use to play a friendly match against friends, traditional balls are a great option. If you want balls you can use to practice for an upcoming tournament, look for balls that offer a more predictable performance.

Smooth

Smooth foosball balls offer a somewhat better performance than traditional balls, but they also shouldn’t be used by anyone who wants to improve their performance. These balls offer the same type of performance that traditional balls do. The biggest difference between traditional and smooth foosball balls is the different coating. Smooth balls have a complete outer coating that makes them shiny. These balls don’t have decorative colors like traditional balls do. Like traditional balls, smooth balls are made out of hard plastic. If you choose these balls, you’ll definitely struggle to pin and grip. These balls can work well for beginners, or the casual player and they offer faster-rolling action than traditional balls. They’re also more expensive than traditional balls.

Textured

Textured balls are completely different from smooth and traditional balls. They offer a better playing experience when you serve in foosball and are designed for serious players who enjoy playing foosball competitively. This ball can really show off your skills and gives players the ability to strike harder with their men.

Textured balls offer very fast rolling action that can make it difficult for beginners to control. Because of their textured surface, a player can easily grip and pin one of these balls. Unlike smooth and traditional balls, because of their textured surface, you should consider cleaning the balls to keep the textured surface free from dust and debris that can slow it down.

Cork

Most pros can agree, cork balls are the best choice. These balls are made out of cork and tend to be much lighter than other types of foosball balls. These balls offer a slower rolling action, which makes them easier to trap and harder to pin. Basically, these balls will give a player better foosball ball control, especially when it comes to the strength of a hit and the direction the ball will go in.

Typically, these balls are usually played on European-style foosball tables and are mainly used by professional players. So, if you want to put your skills to the test and see how good you are, then playing with a cork ball can help you train like a pro and offers more challenging gameplay.

Other Important Features

Now that you know more about the different types of foosball balls available, let’s take a look at the different features you need to check out before you buy, including:

Size

Foosball balls are available in a variety of sizes. This is because foosball tables come in different sizes, so, you’ll need to choose the right ball size based on the type of table you have.

Most pro-quality tables will use balls that are 1.25 inches, which is the standard size ball for foosball.

Balls that are smaller can be difficult to control and handle, compared to standard size balls.

Sound

How noisy a ball is may not be at the top of your list of priorities, but some players do prefer to play with balls that are quieter, especially if they want to play a round when the rest of the family is sleeping. Cork balls have a reputation for making the least amount of noise, while traditional balls are the loudest.

Durability

How durable a ball is can depend on the type of material it’s made out of, how thick the material is, and even how hard you strike. The pros tend to hit the balls the hardest, using their full strength, which can easily damage balls that are made out of thinner plastic. Cork balls tend to take the least amount of damage, so a player can give a shot all they have and not have to worry about cracking a ball.

Number of Balls

You can find different sizes of foosball ball sets available, ranging from three in a set up to twelve or thirteen balls. Typically, pro-quality balls are sold in smaller sets, while traditional balls are usually available in larger sets since these balls tend to crack if they’re hit too hard.

ITSF Approved Balls

If you’re familiar with the history of foosball, then you’ve probably heard of the ITSF. The ITSF approves equipment for pro foosball use. This organization also runs official foosball tournaments. If you’re not sure about the type of ball or brand you should buy, the best way you can ensure you’re purchasing a pro-quality type of ball is to check the ITSF website and see if the ball or brand you want to buy is on their approved list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Official Foosball Ball Size?

Foosball balls are available in a variety of sizes and weights. The size most commonly used is 1.3 inches, which is regulation size.

What Kind of Ball Do You Use for Foosball Table?

Before you buy a new set of balls, take the measurements of your table. If your table is around four feet, it’s considered a junior-sized table and will require a smaller ball size. If you have a standard size table that’s around five to six feet, then you’ll use a standard size ball.

What is the Weight of a Foosball Ball?

A regulation size foosball weighs twenty-four grams. This is one of the main methods you can distinguish regulation-sized balls from cheaper models out there.

Final Thoughts

The best foosball balls can have a big impact on how you play the game. When you’re shopping for balls, you’ll want to check out different types of balls, the material used, and the size, to make sure the ball will be compatible with your table. This guide and my list of the top five balls on the market can help you choose the right set of balls, based on the table you have, your skill level, budget, and playing goals.