Quidditch is the most popular sport in the Wizarding world and is followed by most withches and wizards.
There are 7 players on a team. These are the Keeper, the Seeker, 3 Chasers and 2 Beaters. 4 balls are used in Quidditch.
The pitch is oval-shaped and is 500 feet long and 180 feet wide. There is a circle in the middle where the balls are released from.
It is the Keeper's job from stopping the opposing team's Chasers from scoring with the Quaffle. He or she guards the baskets but can leave the scoring area if they so wish.
The Quaffle can be placed by the Chasers to score through one of the 6 hoops (3 at each end) that are suspended in mid-air. They can only score at the end opposite to the hoops been looked after by their Keeper. Only one Chaser can be in the scoring area at once. The Quaffle is scarlet, seamless and 12 inches in diameter.
10 points are given every time there is a goal with the Quaffle.
Two black balls called Bludgers try to knock any players off their broomsticks and it is the Beaters that try and keep the Bludgers away from their own team and by using bats knock them towards the opposing team. Bludgers are made from iron and are 10 inches in diameter.
The Golden Snitch is the last ball. It is gold in colour with little wings and is the size of a walnut making it the smallest ball in the game. It replaced the Golden Snidget, a creature that was becoming extinct because of Quidditch. The first Golden Snitch was forged in Godric's Hollow by Wright.
The Golden Snitch is also the most important ball in the game as the game can only stop once the snitch has been caught or if the two Captains agree to stop the game.
The Golden Snitch is never touched, as it has flesh memory. It should only ever be handled by gloves.
The snitch however, is hard to catch because it is difficult to see as it travels fast and is extremely small. It is the job of the Seeker to catch the snitch.
The team who catches the Snitch gets 150 points, so that team nearly always wins.
There are 700 ways of committing a Quidditch foul and it is the Seekers who are the ones that get fouled the most during a game of Quidditch. These fouls are not available from the Ministry of Magic but do include such horrors like "attacking an opponent with an axe" and "setting fire to an opponent's broomtail."
The first full description of a game of Quidditch was wrote in 1398 and Quidditch derives its name from Queerditch; a marsh where a similar game to Quidditch was first played.
The rules for Quidditch were first established in 1750.
No limit to the height a player can rise in the game but they are not allowed to leave the pitch. If they do so, the Quaffle will be given to the opposing team.
Time-out may be taken and it can last up to 2 hours.
Penalties may be awarded by the referee. The referee has to be an expert flier. In the UK, they must take rigorous tests including flying, curses and the game of Quidditch itself.
Physical contact is not allowed between players and there can be no substitutions during the match even if a player has been injured.
Wands are allowed on the pitch by members of the team but they are not allowed to be used.
Quidditch is not just played in the UK, it is played world-wide.
Tactics are used in Quidditch, just like in any game. This includes the famous Wronski Feint (where a Seeker pretends to see the snitch near the ground but pulls out at the last minute.)
Brooms are important in Quidditch as they are the essential tool needed to play! They have developed over the years becoming more comfortable, faster and trendier.
The broomstick that has to be used for International games is the Firebolt but on a school Quidditch pitch, broomsticks such as Cleansweeps, Nimbus series and Comets are more popular.
British and Irish Teams –
Since 1674, 13 British and Irish Quidditch teams have competed for the League Cup. They are as follows:
Appleby Arrows - Founded in 1612. Fierce rivals with the Wimbourne Wasps. In 1932 were European champions after winning a match that lasted 16 days!
Ballycastle Bats - Second successful team in League after winning the League Cup 27 times. Have a famous mascot, Barny the Fruitbat who features in Butterbeer adverts.
Caerphilly Catapults - Established in 1402 and have had 18 League wins. Welsh team who award the Dangerous Dai Commemorative Medal each year to the player who has taken the most risks that season.
Chudley Cannons - Won League 21 times but the last win was in 1895. Wear bright orange coloured robes emblazoned with speeding cannon ball and double "C" in black. Club motto is "Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best."
Falmouth Falcons - Team to the most famous twin beaters from 1958 to 1969 that had no fewer than 14 suspensions from the Department of Magical Games and Sport.
Holyhead Harpies - Founded in 1203, this Welsh team has only ever used witches as Quidditch players.
Kenmare Kestrels - Popular worldwide because of their Leprechaun mascots and harp playing supporters.
Montrose Magpies - Most successful team in the League by winning it 32 times! Have been European champions twice and wear robes of black and white with one magpie on the chest and one on the back.
Pride of Portree - Founded in 1292, "The Prides" wear deep-purple robes with a gold star on the chest. Famous chaser was Catriona McCormack who captained two League wins and played for Scotland 36 times. Her daughter is currently keeper and her son is lead guitarist with popular band The Weird Sisters.
Puddlemere United - Oldest team in the League. Won the Leauge 22 times and the European Cup twice. Oliver Wood, ex-Gryffindor captain and Keeper now plays for them.
Tutshill Tornadoes - Set a new British and Irish Quidditch record by winning the League 5 times in a row. They won the most recent leauge as well.
Wigtown Wanderers - Founded by seven offspring of a wizard butcher. In tribute to origin, robes are blood-red with a meat-cleaver on them.
Wimbourne Wasps - Won League 18 times. Wasp fans traditionally buzz during games to distract opposing Chasers.
