Goblinball pits two teams against each other, each consisting of six players (which, in modern times, may include non-orcs), with a goalkeeper and a captain. The captains start the game and have the privilege of bringing in an extra player if a teammate is taken out. The goalkeeper can build obstacles in front of the goal to block shots and may swap places with any field player to personally go on the attack – a fully legal strategy.

If necessary, a team can enter the game short-handed, provided they are confident enough to face six opponents with only three players, for example.

The goal of the game is to score the goblin, who serves as the ball (known as the “goblinball”), into the opponent's goal. The winning team is the first to score 9 goals, or the one with the highest score when the 30-minute match ends.