Quidditch is the most beloved and widely played sport in the wizarding world. It’s a cornerstone of the Harry Potter series, too—from the title character’s gifted seeker abilities to the excitement and festivities surrounding the Quidditch World Cup, the game is central to the worldbuilding and storytelling that fans love so much.
Curious about Quidditch? You’re not alone; we’d like nothing more than to mount a broomstick and take flight, whipping and dodging through the air in pursuit of that elusive Golden Snitch. Sadly, our Muggle brooms are of little use beyond sweeping; but we can still chase the magic in audio.
We’ve curated an essential guide to the ins-and-outs of the game: what it is, how it works, and how it fits into the larger world of Harry Potter.
What is the history of Quidditch?
The first mentions of Quidditch arrived with the first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone but the fictional history of Quidditch is much longer—by almost a thousand years!
Luckily, listening to Quidditch Through the Ages fills in those historical gaps. is a richly imagined text, existing as a book in the Hogwarts school library written by the historian Kennilworthy Whisp. It’s made all the more special in audio with narration from BAFTA nominee Andrew Lincoln and additional performances from Annette Badland and Imogen Church.
From 11 July 2014: The Final
Performed by Imogen Church and Annette Badland
According to Whisp, the first mention of a Quidditch-like game comes from a witch called Gertie Keddle in the eleventh century. In her diary, Keddle recalls a game some witches and wizards were playing in which they would fly around on their brooms in teams and try to knock a ball into the opposing side’s stand of trees. The location of these loose competitions was Queerditch Marsh, which would lend its name, in the way language so happens, to the game that would be known as Quidditch.
From Chapter Two: Ancient Broom Games
Performed by Andrew Lincoln
Wait, so what is Quidditch? And how do you play?
Each Quidditch game is played by two teams of seven players on an oval-shaped pitch. At either end of the pitch, there is a set of three rings of differing heights. The goal of the game is to outscore the other team by getting the Quaffle, a round scarlet ball, through the other team’s hoops. Each goal is worth ten points.
All players ride a broomstick, and must face off not only against their adversary on the pitch—but also the game’s magical Bludgers, iron balls with no allegiance that serve one purpose: knocking unwitting players off their brooms (in fact, Bludgers are such chaotic, havoc-wreaking items that they must be restrained in specially-built cases when not in use). The Golden Snitch, meanwhile, is the ultimate prize in Quidditch. Notoriously fast and difficult to see, this swift and shiny magical ball is released at the start of each match. If either team catches the Snitch, they are awarded 150 points and the match ends immediately. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.
