Ever Heard of Omegaball?

I was channel surfing and came across a sport called Omegaball on ESPN 8 (Ocho) channel. At first I thought it was a soccer game between two women’s teams but then I noticed there were three goals and they were playing on a round field. 

This is Omegaball.

The game is played between three teams of five players on a round field.

Here are some of the rules:

• Three goals are evenly spaced around the perimeter of the field, and each team has one to protect. 
• Each team scores one point for each goal they score against an opponent. If a team scores an own goal, the other two teams each receive a point. 
• The field is circular and about half the size of a traditional soccer pitch. 
• A traditional soccer ball is used. 
• Players can move freely and play the ball in any direction, except that players other than the goalkeeper can't deliberately touch the ball with their hands. 
• There are no offsides penalties, so cherry picking is allowed. 
• There are no throw-ins, only corner kicks. The ball is placed on the closest corner kick location and can be played in any direction. 
• A game is made up of three 13-minute periods with two breaks in between. 

Anthony Dittmann came up with the idea of OmegaBall after speaking with friends and former ESPN colleagues, Bob Funk and Jamie Hemann. The three were strategizing about a new American Football League when the conversation turned to traditional football or soccer. Anthony’s background in X Games and sports television led him to remove rules and rethink the linear nature of soccer. The addition of a third team to create even more action was natural and thus, OmegaBall was born. 

The first game of OmegaBall was played on March 10, 2022 in Irvine, California. The inaugural OmegaBall Championships were broadcast on Fox Sports 2. 

The Raleigh Rebels FC, formerly known as team Crush, is the most successful team.  They won two OmegaBall Championships in 2022. They have also won the National Indoor Soccer League (NISL) and the Queen City Cup.

There is currently no professional leagues in Omegaball.  Several tournaments are held throughout the year.  The most recent was the San Diego Showdown tournament which was held in December.

For more information go to:  https://omegaball.com