Sepak Takraw Rules

The sepak takraw rules are simple, especially if you are familiar with volleyball and football (soccer). The object is to score points against the other team by touching their side of the court with the ball, or by the other team committing a “fault”.

A “fault” is committed when one team does one of the following:

• Kicks the ball out of bounds

• A team exceeds 3 touches before returning the ball across the net

• Touches ball with arm or hand

• Tekong (server) makes contact without being on the ground on a serve

• Tekong does not make contact on serve

• Touching the net

• The ball hits the ceiling or ground

Sepak Takraw is often compared to both football and volleyball for good reason.

Again, sepak takraw rules are similar to football (soccer) ball contact rules, players are not allowed to touch the ball with arms or hands – everything else is fair game.

The sepak takraw rules that overlap with volleyball rules are the 3 touches, not touching the net, and not allowing the ball to touch the ground on your side of the court.

The first team to get 21 pts. – leading by at least 2 pts – is declared the winner of the set. The team that wins 2 sets first is declared the winner.

Sepak Takraw Scoring

Knowing how to keep score is fundamental when learning how to play sepak takraw. Scoring is simple: Avoid faults.

The previous section outlines sepak takraw rules. A point is scored whenever one or more of the sepak takraw rules are breached.

If a team lets the ball hit the ground on their side, then the other team receives a point. If a player touches the ball with their arm or hand, the other team gets a point. If a player touches the net, then the other team gets a point. If a team doesn’t return the ball within 3 touches, then the other team gets a point – so on and so forth…

Each set (game) is played to 21. Teams must win by two points. In the event that neither team has won by two points, the first team to 25 wins the game. Teams play the best out of three sets, and teams’ alternate serving with each set.