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How does the Baller League work? Format, rules, fixtures, squads and how to follow new competition featuring Terry and Lineker

A brand new football competition begins tonight as some of the sport’s legends combine with famous faces for six-a-side action.

The Baller League was founded in Germany and is a six-a-side indoor football competition, with this being the first season in the UK.

A new era is about to start

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A new era is about to startCredit: Getty

The Baller League began in Germany but now it's in the UK

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The Baller League began in Germany but now it's in the UKCredit: Getty

KSI is the president of the British league that is going to include some Premier League legends, celebrities, futsal stars and forgotten names.

Chelsea icon John Terry is a manager along with Luis Figo, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and multiple Arsenal ‘Invincibles’, who all make up the star-studded line-up.

Here’s all you need to know about the unique competition…

Baller League: Dates and how to follow

The Baller League officially begins on Monday, March 24.

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It is being held at the Copper Box Arena in London.

That will be the first night of 11 weeks of league action, with every event taking place on a Monday night.

The semi-finals and final will then follow once every team has played each other once, with the top four in the league progressing.

Fans can follow all of the action live on Sky Sports and NOW TV, with every single match of the inaugural tournament being broadcast. You can find out more here.

talkSPORT and talkSPORT.com will also keep you up to date with all the latest.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream. Listen via the talkSPORT app here, or on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

The tournament takes place inside on a six-a-side pitch

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The tournament takes place inside on a six-a-side pitchCredit: Getty

Baller League: Rules and format

There are a total of 12 teams involved in the Baller League and they will all play each other once, with every side in action each Monday.

Each team has 12 players to choose from in their squads and their players were picked in a draft.

Games are played on a six-a-side indoor pitch and they last 30 minutes - two 15-minute halves - but in the final three minutes, there is a twist.

In the last three minutes, different rules will be added and those include: A 3v3 format, long-range goals counting as double, goalkeepers not being allowed to use their hands and more.

Those twists will be randomised during each game after the 12th minute of each half.

Offsides are in the rules but there are no corners - instead, if the ball goes off an opposing player and behind the goal three times, a penalty is given.

And if a penalty is awarded, it will see a player take on the goalkeeper 1v1 with only six seconds on the clock to try and score.

Managers also get two wildcards per game week, which means they can bring anyone to feature in their team for that match.

The MVP of each night wins a legend for their team’s next game.

KSI and members of The Sidemen are fronting the competition

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KSI and members of The Sidemen are fronting the competitionCredit: Sidemen

Baller League: Full schedule

Matchday 1: March 24

Matchday 2: March 31

Matchday 3: April 7

Matchday 4: April 14

Matchday 5: April 21

Matchday 6: April 28

Matchday 7: May 5

Matchday 8: May 12

Matchday 9: May 19

Matchday 10: May 26

Matchday 11: June 6

Final Four Day: June 11

Matchday 1 fixtures

Yanited v N5 FC

FC RTW v MVPs United

SDS FC v 26ers

Trebol FC v Santan FC

M7 FC v Wembley Rangers FC

Deportrio v VZN FC

Baller League: Squads and managers

As mentioned, there are some huge names involved.

Terry, Figo, Lineker and Shearer are all managers, along with Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg, Jens Lehmann, Ian Wright, Chloe Kelly and Micah Richards.

Social media stars Miniminter, TBJZL and AngryGinge are also involved, with rap sensation Dave and TV/radio host Maya Jama part of the manager line-up too.

Here are all the teams, their managers, and the squads that include some names you may recognise…

26ers - Manager: John Terry

Squad: J'ardell Stirling, Bilal Sayoud, Sak Hassan, Kojo Apenteng, Marcel Lewis, Jordon Ibe, Matt Chizzum, Emmanuel Rowe, Justin Dass, Spike Stegel, Vladislav Platinov, Jack Crook.

Deportrio - Managers: Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Gary Lineker

Squad: Bakary Sako, Adam Dawson, Francis Gerald Mapolo, Zach Fagan, Marvin Sordell, Charlie Kuehn, Tommy Scott, Raphael Gas, Alex Dyer, Ruben Singale, Tristan Goodridge, Leo Serri.

FC Rules the World - Manager: Clint 419

Squad: Michael Ndiweni, Josh Harrop, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, Kevin Gonzalez, Oliver Bosworth, Karim Kamhouri, Erghis Pepy, Onuchi Oki, Yusuf Shentu, Alamiji Oluma, Sandro Kamara, Festus Chalet.

M7 FC - Manager: Miniminter

Squad: Jesse Waller-Lassen, Femi Akinwande, Stefan Ilic, Jean Belehouan, Toby Bull, Sam Fitzgerald, Arjun Young, Ramez Gonzalo, Arin Zaha, Lewis Garcia, Henry Wise, Zion Nditi.

Terry has a new job as a manager in Baller League

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Terry has a new job as a manager in Baller LeagueCredit: Getty

MVPs United - Managers: Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama

Squad: Lorenzo Spinelli, Ashton Peltier, Jake Chambers Shaw, Ross Derham, Josh Misoki, James Canton, Alfie Matthew, Declan McCarthy, Jay Beckford, Joe Edwards, Dwayne Suel, Esteban Salgado.

N5 FC - Managers: Jens Lehmann, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg

Squad: Owen Locke, Adrian Mariappa, Brian Ly, Charlie Wakefield, Dayo Adekayo, Chris Arba, Imran Kahani, Michael Class, James Alabi, Troy Molunda, Freddie Berrati, Callum Charlton.

Santan FC - Manager: Dave

Squad: Michael Hill, Richard Kesey, Dominic Voss, Erick Kenco, Ranell McKenzie Lowes, Jamell Abou-Bakare, Rico Okinari, David Upu, Abdullah Gervardi, Jack Wilson, David Solidemi, Luka Valentine.

SDS FC - Manager: Sharky

Squad: Bruno Andrade, Bayley Brown, Ody Alfa, Cole Da Silva, David Marques Castanho, Calvin Dickson, Big John, Camillo Astreppo, Finley Chadwick, Michael Felibe, Hussein Mahdi, Tyler Edmundson.

Arsenal 'Invincible' Pires is a manager along with Ljungberg and Lehmann

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Arsenal 'Invincible' Pires is a manager along with Ljungberg and LehmannCredit: Getty

Trebol FC - Manager: Luis Figo

Squad: Montel McKenzie, Vani Da Silva, Ciaran Clark, Isaac Modi, Ethan Oke, Reggie, Emi, Ryan Gorwell, Jordan Brown, Shani Omed, Aaron Steven, Nathan Bowen.

VZN FC - Manager: TBJZL

Squad: Henri Lansbury, Kurtice Herbert, Jerome Sinclair, Remy Mitchell, Montel McKenzie, Florian Kastrati, Michael Olive-Wigan, Barrell Mensah, Ethan McClear, Diego Dombaboni, Jami Kheresi, Luka Barusic.

Wembley Rangers - Managers: Ian Wright and Chloe Kelly

Squad: Domingos Pires, Check Fayum, Ben Long, Stuart Cook, Oliver Cannon, Juan Pablo, Ruben Junior, Luke Gambin, Kaylen Kofi, Braden Shaw, Joseph Diomande, Nabid Eshari.

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Yanited - Manager: Angry Ginge

Squad: Kadell Daniel, Michael Hector, Mohammed Mahyoub, Remy Clerima, Percy Kiangebeni, Medy Elito, Max Pitman, Harry Cain, Henry O'Shea, Daniel Thompson, Daniel Woods, Pharrel Mensah.

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