Originating in Finland, instead of playing football or soccer on a green field, swamp football is played in swamps, mud fields or bogs. If an actual swamp isn’t available the game is played on a muddy field. Playing like this can be physically demanding and once it was a form of exercise activity for soldiers and athletes.
World Championship held in Finland
It’s a fairly new sport this form of football and the first organized competition was the Finnish Championship when 13 teams took part. It’s popular in Finland and has caught on in other countries like Holland, Brazil, Russia, Iceland and Sweden. The World Championships are played in Finland. There are quite a few rules and the game consists of two 13-minute halves and there is no offside rule.
Lose your Shoe and You’re off the Field
One or two of the other rules in swamp football are that during the game you can’t put on new boots. In fact, the player who loses his shoe has to leave the pitch. There are 6 players on the field and they can be substituted whenever necessary. Having so few players on the field makes the sport particularly challenging and exhausting.
Lots of Entertainment Value
Swamp football isn’t only for the guys, and the women are playing their own swamp soccer. The sport has lots of entertainment value and amusement as the players become filthy and can become stuck in the mud which can be as high as the groin. A good player has to know how to move around in the mud, and watching all this promises to be highly entertaining.