How to play Paper Football
- Orange flicks from the bottom end of the table towards Purple's end at the top (on a wide screen, from the left towards the right). Purple flicks the other way.
- Kick-off. The first player starts with the football at their own end and flicks it towards their rival. A kick-off can't score. If it falls off the table or ends up hanging over an edge, kick it again.
- Take turns. After that, players take turns to flick the football from wherever it stopped, always towards the other player's end. It slides and spins on the table until it stops.
- Touchdown. If the football stops with part of it hanging over your rival's edge of the table, that's a touchdown, worth 6 points. The football has to stay on the table: if its middle goes past the edge, it tips over and falls off.
- Off the table. A football that falls off any edge scores nothing, and your rival takes the next flick from the middle of the table.
- Extra point. After a touchdown you kick for 1 more point. Your rival makes goalposts with their hands: thumbs touching across, index fingers pointing up. The kick is good if the football flies between the fingers and over the thumbs, even if it sails higher than the fingertips.
- The player who was scored on kicks off next. The first player to reach 21 points wins, or 14 for a quick game, or 35 for a long one.
Scoring
| What happened | Points |
|---|---|
| Touchdown: the football stops hanging over your rival's edge | 6 |
| Extra point: the kick goes between your rival's fingers | 1 |
| The football falls off the table | 0, and your rival flicks from the middle |
A touchdown that takes you to the target wins straight away, with no need to kick.
Controls
| Device | To flick | To kick the extra point |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or tablet | Swipe towards the other end, anywhere on the screen | Swipe up. Slant the swipe to aim left or right |
| Mouse | Click, drag and let go in one quick movement | The same, upwards |
| Keyboard | ← → to aim, then hold Space or ↑: the arrow grows and shrinks, so let go when it's the right length | ← → to aim, then hold and let go of Space as the power bar fills |
The speed of your swipe sets the strength of the flick: a gentle swipe nudges the football a little way, a quick one sends it the length of the table. Only the last moment of the swipe counts, so keep your finger moving as you let go. For the kick, a firm swipe is needed to lift the football over the thumbs. Hold Shift to aim finely with the keys.
With 2 Players, hold the phone or tablet between you, or lay it flat on a table: Orange flicks from the bottom and Purple from the top, and Purple's score and messages turn round to face them. There's nothing to hide in this game, so you never need to pass the device.
Computer levels
The computer sees the same table you do: where the football lies and which way it's pointing. It plans each flick with the same physics as the game, then its hand isn't perfect: every level has its own wobble in direction and strength.
| Level | How the computer plays |
|---|---|
| Easy | Aims for the middle of the touchdown zone every time, but its strength varies a lot, so its flicks often fall short or slide off. It misses about a quarter of its kicks. |
| Medium | Aims the same way with a steadier hand. It makes most of its kicks. |
| Hard | Tries out several flicks in its head before it chooses, weighing a touchdown against sliding off the table or leaving you an easy flick. It hardly ever misses a kick. |
| Expert | The steadiest hand of all. It also tries different lines, such as angling in from near a side edge, and almost never misses a kick. |
Tips to win
- Flick softer than you think. The football slides a long way. A quick little swipe usually travels further than you expect.
- Short is better than off. A football that stops just short of your rival's edge leaves them the whole table to cross. One that falls off hands them a flick from the middle.
- Mind the point. A football with a corner pointing at the edge hangs over sooner than one with a flat side facing it, so it can score from a little further back.
- Keep away from the sides. Flick straight down the middle when you can. A football near a side edge can easily slide off.
- Kick firmly. A weak kick hits the thumbs or lands short. Swipe up briskly and keep the swipe straight.
Make your own paper football
You only need a sheet of paper. Fold it in half the long way, then in half the long way again, to make a long strip. Fold one corner of the end over to make a triangle, then keep folding the triangle over and over along the strip, like folding a flag. When you get to the end, tuck the last flap into the pocket of the triangle. To make goalposts, rest your wrists on the edge of the table, touch the tips of your thumbs together and point your index fingers straight up.
About Paper Football
Paper Football, also called flick football, tabletop football or thump football, is loosely based on American football. Nobody knows for sure where it began, but it's played mostly by students in the United States, from primary school to high school, because all it takes is a sheet of paper and a flat surface like a tabletop.
There's no official rulebook, so the rules change from table to table. Some players count a touchdown as 1 point instead of 6 and play to 15. Some give each player four flicks to score, with a 3-point field goal as another way to score. Others play against the clock instead of to a target. What happens when the football falls off varies too: here, your rival flicks from the middle of the table, so a wild flick always costs you something.
Questions
Can two people play Paper Football on one phone?
Yes. Choose 2 Players and sit face to face with the phone or tablet between you. Orange flicks from the bottom end and Purple from the top, and you take turns, just like on a real table.
What counts as a touchdown?
The football must stop with part of it hanging over your rival's edge of the table, while its middle is still on the table. If it slides any further, it tips over the edge and falls off.
How do you make goalposts with your fingers?
Rest your wrists on the edge of the table, touch the tips of your thumbs together to make the crossbar, and point both index fingers straight up for the posts. In the game, your rival's hands are drawn in white gloves.
How long is a game?
A game to 21 points usually takes a few minutes. Choose 14 points for a quicker game or 35 for a longer one.
Is Paper Football free?
Yes. It's free in your browser, with no download, no sign-up and no ads during a game.
Updated 9 November 2026