The right bocce ball size depends on three questions: where you'll play, how often you'll play, and whether you plan to join a sanctioned league. The short answers: for league play pick 107mm (FIB and USBF regulation, 920 grams); for backyard play on grass pick 110mm (slightly heavier, holds line on uneven surfaces); for Italian volo tradition pick 114mm (heaviest at 1,200 grams); for French pétanque, senior players, kids, or apartment play pick 73mm metal (hollow steel, 650-800 grams). The 107mm size is the most versatile if you're unsure.
This guide is the size-by-use companion to the rest of the bocce buying decisions on the site. The size question gets asked the most because it's the one decision that meaningfully affects play behavior; everything else (color, finish, brand) is largely cosmetic. According to the United States Bocce Federation, sanctioned league play requires 107mm; the other sizes are recreational variants that serve specific use cases but don't qualify for raffa league.
Key Takeaways
- 107mm (920g): FIB and USBF regulation tournament size. Required for sanctioned league play. The default choice for most adult buyers.
- 110mm (~1,100g): Italian recreational size. Heavier, holds line on grass and uneven surfaces. The backyard-grass default.
- 114mm (~1,200g): Italian volo tradition. Largest active size, used in volo competition and on rough outdoor courts.
- 73mm metal (650-800g): French pétanque tradition. Lightest active option. Suits senior players, kids, apartments, and pétanque-specific play.
- 30mm mini ($31): tabletop and travel size. For very small spaces and as a gift novelty rather than backyard play.
107mm: the regulation tournament size
Diameter 107mm, weight approximately 920 grams. This is the FIB raffa specification codified by the Federazione Italiana Bocce in the mid-twentieth century and used at every USBF-sanctioned event in North America. If you plan to join a sanctioned league at an Italian-American club, a Pinstripes restaurant-bocce venue, or any USBF tournament, you need 107mm balls.
The 107mm size also works fine for backyard play, indoor synthetic-carpet play, and any recreational format. It's the most versatile of the four sizes. The trade-off vs the larger 110mm and 114mm sizes: 107mm holds line slightly less well on rough grass or bumpy backyard surfaces because it's lighter and smaller. For most adult buyers without specific use-case requirements, 107mm is the right default.
110mm: the backyard recreational size
Diameter 110mm, weight approximately 1,100 grams. The 110mm Italian recreational size is heavier and rolls more predictably on rough surfaces than 107mm. Used widely in backyard play on grass, decomposed granite, and uneven outdoor surfaces. The slightly heavier weight cuts through grass blades and stays on line through small surface inconsistencies that would deflect a lighter 107mm ball.
The trade-off: 110mm is not sanctioned for raffa league play. If you might join a USBF-affiliated league in the future, buy 107mm; if backyard play is the only use case, 110mm is the practical choice. According to the Federazione Italiana Bocce, the 110mm size is the Italian recreational standard but does not qualify for sanctioned raffa events.
114mm: the Italian volo tradition
Diameter 114mm, weight approximately 1,200 grams. The 114mm size is the largest active configuration in modern bocce manufacturing, sized to the Italian volo (aerial-throw) tradition. Used in volo competition in northern Italy and southern France, and increasingly in North American Italian-American household backyard play where the deliberate-feel heavier ball matches the traditional aesthetic.
The 114mm size requires more arm strength than 107mm at release because of the extra weight. Most adult players can handle it comfortably; senior players may find it heavier than ideal. Coverage of the volo tradition in Encyclopedia Britannica's entry on bocce notes the Italian regional preference for larger and heavier balls compared to the broader international raffa standard.
73mm metal: the French pétanque tradition
Diameter 73mm, hollow steel construction, weight 650-800 grams. The French pétanque tradition uses 73mm metal boules thrown underhand from a fixed circle rather than rolled along a court. The metal balls are noticeably lighter than any resin alternative, which makes them the standard choice for senior players, kids, players with grip or wrist limits, and anyone who wants to play in confined spaces like apartment balconies.
The 73mm metal tradition is technically a sibling sport (pétanque) rather than bocce proper, but the lines blur in casual North American usage. Most buyers searching metal bocce balls are looking for 73mm hollow steel pétanque sets. Pricing is meaningfully lower than resin: $36-$96 for full sets vs $273+ for 107mm resin bundles. According to coverage of senior recreational play in Outside Magazine, the 73mm metal pétanque category has grown alongside retirement-community recreational programming because of the weight advantage.
How to pick: a decision tree
Start with the most-defining question: do you plan to join a sanctioned league?
Yes → buy 107mm. The FIB regulation size is required. The EPCO tournament line at $275 (with carry bag) is the practical league-day pick.
No → second question: where will you play primarily?
Backyard grass → 110mm. Heavier ball holds line on uneven outdoor surfaces. 110mm 8-ball bundle at $273 covers full team play.
Italian-tradition household or rough backyard → 114mm. The heaviest size. 114mm 8-ball bundle at $304.
Apartment, balcony, or for senior players → 73mm metal. Lightest option. 73mm 8-ball set at $90.
Tabletop or travel novelty → 30mm mini at $31.
The top picks by size for 2026
1. 107 mm 8 Bocce Ball Set Bundle
Best for: first-time adult buyers who want the regulation size that works for backyard and league.
The 107mm 8-ball bundle at $273 covers regulation play with pallino included. FIB regulation diameter and weight; USBF-recognized for sanctioned league. The most versatile single purchase.
2. 110 mm 8 Bocce Ball Set Bundle
Best for: backyard play on grass where the heavier ball holds line better than 107mm.
The 110mm 8-ball bundle at $273 is the Italian recreational backyard standard. Slightly heavier than 107mm (around 1,100 grams per ball), which suits uneven grass and rough outdoor surfaces. Not sanctioned for raffa league play but ideal for casual backyard.
3. 114 mm 8 Bocce Ball Set Bundle
Best for: Italian-tradition households and rough backyard surfaces where the heaviest ball powers through inconsistencies.
The 114mm 8-ball bundle at $304 is the largest active size, sized to Italian volo tradition. Heaviest weight (around 1,200 grams) gives a deliberate-feel release and handles rough grass and uneven backyards.
Why buy from BuyBocceBalls
We carry every active size from 30mm mini up to 114mm volo, plus 4-ball half-sets and 8-ball bundles in each size. Most US orders ship in two to four business days from US warehouses. Browse the full bocce ball collection for every active size.
Frequently asked questions
What size bocce balls should I get?
For league play: 107mm (FIB regulation). For backyard play on grass: 110mm. For Italian volo tradition: 114mm. For pétanque or senior players: 73mm metal. The 107mm size is the most versatile if you're unsure.
What is the difference between 107mm, 110mm, and 114mm bocce balls?
107mm is the FIB regulation tournament size (920g). 110mm is the Italian recreational size (~1,100g). 114mm is the Italian volo tradition size (~1,200g). All three are bocce; only 107mm is sanctioned for raffa league play.
Are bigger bocce balls better?
Not better, just different. Bigger balls (110mm, 114mm) hold line better on rough surfaces. Smaller balls (107mm, 73mm) are easier to throw accurately at distance. Choose based on use case, not size for size's sake.
What size bocce balls are professional?
107mm. The FIB raffa regulation diameter is the international professional/tournament standard, used at USBF-sanctioned events and FIB championships.
