Baller League is back for Season 2! Find out everything you need to know about how it works, what’s changed, and which celebrities are participating!
What is a Bowler League?
The Baller League originated in Germany, founded by entrepreneur Felix Starck and assisted by Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski. This is a six-a-side indoor football competition, with its inaugural season in England taking place at the Copper Box Arena in London.
For the UK version, the influencer-led league, headlined by KSI, pits former Premier League players, futsal players and celebrities against each other in 12 teams for the title of the Bowlers’ League. Teams will battle for 11 weeks to determine the final four. The winner will be determined through a four-game playoff, followed by two semi-finals to determine the final.
The match will be played again on Monday 27 October, the final match day of the season ahead of the semi-finals scheduled to be played on 5 January.
Bowlers League Rules – How does it work?
Each team has 12 players selected in the Ballers League draft, and each half is 15 minutes long.
There are no corner kicks. If the ball falls behind the opposition three times, the attacking team is awarded a penalty (90s MLS style!). And for the last three minutes of the first half, another rule is added.
These ‘game changers’ include the 3-on-3 format, long-range goals scored behind the offside line being counted as doubles, and goalkeepers being unable to use their hands.
Matches will be played every Monday for 11 consecutive weeks, after which the top four teams in the league will compete in the semifinals and finals to be crowned champion. The first season saw Sharky’s SDS FC lift the trophy after a 4-3 win over MVP United in the final.
What’s new?
The second season returns with new faces as Chloe Kelly’s Clutch FC, Idris Elba’s Rukkas FC and Niko Omilana’s NDL FC join the competition.
There will also be another new face on the sidelines as former England striker and Sky Sports pundit Daniel Sturridge joins Micah Richards in leading Depotrio FC.
Former Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge will join fellow Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards in charge of Depotrio FC.
Former players John Terry, Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright will also manage Miniminter, Tobi Brown, Sharky, AngryGinge and Maya alongside Como Women’s Alisha Lehmann. Back in the dugout with Jama.
Baller League UK Season 2 Schedule
Matchday 1
Game 1: 26ers vs Yantid
Game 2: N5 vs NDL FC
Game 3: Deporio vs Wembley Rangers AFC
Game 4: SDS FC vs VZN FC
Game 5: Lucas FC vs MVP United
Game 6: M7 FC vs Clutch FC
Baller League UK Season 2 Dates and Full Match Schedule
Matchday 1: October 27
Matchday 2: November 3
Matchday 3: November 10th
Matchday 4: November 17th
Matchday 5: November 24th
Matchday 6: December 1st
Matchday 7: December 8
Matchday 8: December 15th
Matchday 9: December 22nd
Matchday 10: December 29th
Matchday 11: January 5th
Final 4: TBC
Baller League UK Season 2 Teams and Managers
England hero Chloe Kelly returns for Season 2, but this time she’ll be managing Clutch FC.
- 26 years old – Managed by John Terry
- Deforrio – Managed by Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge
- NDL FC – Managed by Nico Omilana
- M7 FC – Managed by Miniminter
- MVP United – Managed by Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama
- N5 FC – Managed by Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires and Eman SV2
- Lucas FC – Managed by Idris Elba
- SDS FC – Managed by Sharky
- Clutch FC – Managed by Chloe Kelly
- VZN FC – Managed by Toby Brown
- Wembley Rangers – Managed by Ian Wright and Alan Shearer
- Yanitide – Managed by Angry Ginge
Bowler League Teams and Players
Former Manchester United left-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is set to line up for M7 FC.
26 years old
Franchise: J’ardell Stirling, Bilal Sayoud
Assignments: Ebenezer Addo-Kufuor, Emmanuel Robe, Kojo Apteng, Connor Wood
Team Bowlers: David Oupoh, Serine Sanneh, Nabeel Ghannam, Pharrell Mensah, Sam Meisel, Eligijus Dapkus
Clutch FC
Franchise: Albie Sheehan, Evans Kouassi
Assignments: Addison Garnett, Michael Hill, Destiny Ojo, Eddie Allsopp
Team Bowlers: David Solademi, Keir Dickson, Dillon Barnes, Erick Kenko, Jordan Lazenbury, Ethan Oke
Deforrio
Franchise: Richard Afrane-Kesey, Francis Gerard Mampolo
Assignments: Adam Dawson, Josh Harrop, Marvin Sordell, Kevin Gonzalez
Team bowlers: Daniel Atherton, Jack McConnell, Zach Fagan, Alex Dyer, Henri Lansbury, Joleon Lescott.
M7 FC
Franchise: Toby Bull, Stefan Ilic
Assignments: Sam Fitzgerald, Zayed Al-Jussaini, Zion Nditi, Jay Emmanuel-Toms.
Team bowlers: Femi Akinwande, Mohammed Mahyoub, Jordon Thompson, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Bayli Spencer-Adams, Joshua Abbott.
MVP United
Franchise: Timmy Abraham, Montel McKenzie
Assignments: Josh Russok, Jake Chambers Shaw, James Carton, Tommy Scott
Team bowlers: Lorenzo Kevin Spinelli, Daniel Wood, Tyrone Marsh, Barney da Silva, Nathan Okome, Robbie Burton.
N5 FC
Franchise: Martyn Waghorn, Jack Young
Assignments: Declan McCarthy, Angus McDonald, George Nikaj, Jean-Baptiste Fischer
Team bowlers: Hani Berchiche, Callum Charlton, Chris Arthur, Ross Derham, Nathan Holland, Nile Ranger
NDL FC
Franchise: Amine Sassi, Ciaran Clark
Assignments: Armin Belade, Isaac Modi, Dominic Voss
Team Bowlers: Aaron Stevens, Jordan Antonio Brown, Kamel Sassi, Ruben Junior, Amadou Kassarate
Lucas FC
Franchise: Musa Bham, Shann
Designated: Ergis Pepaz, Jezril Davis, Taufi Skandari, Toby Aromalaran.
Team Bowlers: Dara Dada, Seth Locke, Luqman Kassim, Bruno Andrade, Michael Hector, Brandon Barker
SDS FC
Franchise: Mauro Vilhete
Designated players: Camilo Restrepo, Hafed Al Droubi, David Marques Castagne, Alfie Matthews.
Team bowlers: Michael Folivi, Calvin Dickson, Finlay Chadwick, Youssef Chentouf, Nya Kirby, Tarik Gidare.
VZN FC
Franchise: Yasin Ben El-Mhanni, Scott Kashket
Designator: KUTEI CUMBERBATCH, YOU WILL CAUSE HAMZA SEMAKULA
Team bowlers: Michael Onobigun, Luka Marusic, Daniel Bowry, Eric de Mello, Joshua Parker, Melvin Minter.
Wembley Rangers AFC
Franchise: Chekh Tham, George Isaac
Assignments: Domingos Pires, Jack Connors, Callum Gardner, Danny Bassett
Team bowlers: Long, Charles Yiadom Konado, Sandro House-Griffis,
Yanitide
Franchise: Bryan Ly, John Bostock
Assignments: Callum Butcher, PK Humble, Remi Clerima, Jesse Waller-Larsen
Team Bowlers: Max Pitman, Harry Cain, Kadell Daniel, Medy Elito, Ahoora Heydari, Abdulahi Abdulazeez
