Major League Quadball to Pilot Q4 at Take Back the Pitch During MLQ Championship
Major League Quadball (MLQ) is excited to announce the pilot of Q4, a version of quadball featuring four athletes per side, during Take Back the Pitch at the 2025 MLQ Championship.
Q4 is designed to address one of the sport’s most pressing challenges: team sustainability. In recent years, many collegiate and club quadball teams have struggled to field enough players to compete at tournaments. By reducing roster sizes and streamlining gameplay, Q4 lowers the barrier to entry while preserving the fast-paced, strategic action that defines quadball.
Key Features of the Q4 Pilot
Smaller rosters: Teams can compete with as few as six players, making the sport more accessible for developing programs. At Take Back the Pitch, each team will have 10-12 athletes.
Four athletes on the field per team: Two chasers, one keeper, and one beater
Simplified officiating: Just four officials (one head referee, one assistant referee, and two goal referees) are needed, with streamlined responsibilities to ensure smooth play. The flag runner will not be included.
Less equipment: There will be two hoops on each end of the field (tall and medium) and only two dodgeballs in play.
Modified rules: Many of the rules will remain the same, however, we have removed keeper immunity on defense, altered beater immunity, and eliminated natural motion. The field size will also decrease.
12-minute halves: Shorter, high-intensity games for players and fans
Cards: There will be no blue cards. Yellow cards will result in a turnover (if necessary) and a back to hoops. Three yellow cards will still result in a red card. A red card will still result in an ejection, however, the replacement player will enter play from the bench immediately when play restarts.
We will be releasing a more detailed ruleset next week.
Q4 was inspired by international adaptations Q3 and Q5, experimental formats developed to make quadball more accessible for smaller teams. These models, which can be found on the Quadball 5.3 YouTube channel, provided the framework for MLQ’s approach to creating a version of the sport that meets the current needs of the U.S. community.
“Q4 is a step toward ensuring that more teams–especially smaller and developing ones–can not only survive but thrive. This is a version of the sport I’ve wanted to bring to the U.S. since Q3 and Q5 were introduced to us by Quadball 5.3 at QuidCon in 2021. I’ve playtested it, and I’m excited to see how it works on a larger stage,” said Amanda Dallas, MLQ Co-Commissioner.
The pilot will give athletes, fans, and officials a first-hand look at how the format plays out in a competitive setting, with feedback helping shape its future development.
For more information about MLQ Championship and Take Back the Pitch, visit mlqchampionship.com.
