La Bola Canaria has been considered a sporting activity since 1994, and has its own federation.

It was introduced to the islands after the conquest, and has a large number of practitioners in the Canary Islands, although fewer and fewer, as it is not well known by young people and children.

La Bola Canaria is a game that dates back centuries and has evolved over time to become one of the most popular games in the Canary Islands.

Its origin dates back to medieval times, being a derivation of the ball games that were played as entertainment and sports in 14th century Europe, its arrival in the Canary Islands being estimated with the first European conquerors, in the 15th century.

It is believed that the game was originally introduced in Lanzarote, expanding to other islands through internal migration and trade, reaching all the islands in the 16th century, increasing its popularity with the creation of regular tournaments and competitions,

Initially it was played anywhere, without rules or regulations, the rules developing over time, thus, in the 16th century the game was still much simpler, less organized and was played mainly by fun. Over the years it evolved, moving its practice from streets and squares to rectangular playing fields of a defined size and establishing the first regulations, such as the use of heavier balls, made of wood weighing approximately 1 and 2 kilos. , and the start of regular competitions.

It is a precision throwing sport, which basically consists of throwing a certain number of balls in the direction of another smaller ball, called BOLICHE or MINGUE, with the intention of leaving as close as possible to it, the greatest number of balls in the game. own equipment as possible, with the opponent trying, in turn, to place his balls closer than the rival to the aforementioned objective, or to remove those balls that prevent him from doing so, and may choose to move the jack.

To start the game, the pin and the balls are drawn, with the winner of the pin being the one who must throw the pin and start the game with the first round of throwing the balls. To do this, a ball is thrown from a starting line known as “Rayo”, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the “boliche” or “mingue”, an essential piece in the development of the game, as it acts as a reference.

Bola Canaria, currently considered a traditional Canarian sport similar to petanque, is played on a field between 18 and 25 meters long and between 3 and 6 meters wide, usually made of dirt or sand. , and in which balls weighing 1 kg and between 90 and 120 mm in diameter are used, normally made of wood, although nowadays there are some made of pasta.

The “bowling” is normally metallic, 40 mm in diameter and weighs between 50 and 500 grams.

Each team has twelve balls, which must be distributed among the members of the team; no one can have more than three, and it is usual for teams to be made up of four players. You must get as close as possible to the bowling alley with as few balls as possible.

It is common to play in teams made up of four players of any age over 7 years old, with three balls differentiated by a stripe or colors. The game is usually played to 12 points, with the team that first reaches two wins winning.

The actions of the game called Arrimes and Boches, the first consist of the player throwing the ball in the position he deems appropriate, as long as he keeps one of his feet within the shooting arc without lifting it, and do not rest any other part of your body on the ground, and the second the same as the previous one with the exception that the foot resting in the shooting zone can be raised, but not the other, until the ball has been released in both cases.

Under no circumstances may any part of the body be supported outside the limitations of the playing field.

In order not to disturb the thrower, players who are not in action must stand behind the shooting zone.

Currently regulated by the Canarian Bola Canaria Federation, which organizes championships and tournaments at insular, regional, national and even international levels, Canarian pelota has official regulations, in which all the aspects of the game, from the dimensions of the field, to the changes of players in the teams, the throwing distances, the void plays, and the controversial situations that could occur during the game actions.

Like any sport, Canarian pelota has the figure of the referee who must make the corresponding decisions to direct the game, his decisions being unappealable and unquestionable by the players.

Canarian pelota has become a game of skill and strategy, a symbol of Canarian culture and that transmits the values of tradition and effort.

Until a few years ago, this game limited its practice to the Canary Islands, and some communities in Venezuela and Uruguay, however in recent years, the increase in tourism in the Canary Islands has led to an increase in the popularity of this game abroad. , as well as the dissemination of the game through social networks and the interest shown by some international federations, which is why in 2014 the Federación Internacional de Bola Canaria (FIBC) was founded, with the aim of promoting the game internationally.

In 2023, the Higher Sports Council of Spain recognized Bola Canaria as an indigenous sport of the Canary Islands, giving impetus to the internationalization of the game, and favoring its inclusion in international competitions.

Currently, Bola Canaria is played in more than 20 countries around the world, with important communities of players in Venezuela, Mexico or Uruguay, the United States, Canada or Australia, with great potential to become in the not too distant future. in a popular sport worldwide.