Wheelchair rugby is a mixed gender full contact team sport. During the competition, players pass the ball up the court and score by carrying the ball across the try line. The aim of a team is to be in possession of the ball in the opponent's end zone in order to score points. Each team protects its end zone, and all tries count for one point. 

To play the sport, players use custom-made wheelchairs specifically designed for wheelchair rugby and use a regular volleyball. Players are classified according to their functional level and assigned a point value ranging from 0.5 – 3.5. All players on the court for a team cannot exceed eight points.

At The World Games 2022, wheelchair rugby will make its debut as a mixed gender sports with its low-point version. For the low-point variation, only athletes of class 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 are eligible to compete with a maximum of 3.5 points on court at any one time. Athletes competing have an impairment in all four limbs.

At the end of the match, the team with most points (most successful tries) wins.

- 6 teams play single league round-robin games

- Bottom two teams compete for 5th and 6th

- Middle two teams compete for bronze medal

- Top two teams compete in the final for Gold and Silver.

Each game is played in four periods of eight minutes with a stop clock.

To start the game, two players line up in the centre circle on either side of the halfway line. The referee throws the ball up in the air between the two players. The game clock begins as soon as the ball is touched by a player or chair.

Teams have twelve seconds to advance the ball from their back court into the front court, and a total of forty seconds to score a try or concede possession. Once it is over the halfway-line, the ball cannot cross back, unless it is touched by a player on the other team first. Teams have 40 seconds from gaining possession of the ball to score a try or lose possession.

During the competition, players pass the ball up the court and score by carrying the ball across the try line, ensuring that two wheels of the player’s wheelchair cross the line. A player with possession of the ball must bounce or pass the ball at least once every ten seconds.

A try is scored when a player in possession of the ball has two wheels touching the out-of-bounds area across the opposing team’s try line, between the two posts marking the ends of the try line. The player must have possession of the ball before either wheel crosses the try line. Each try is valued at one point.

After a try, the other team throws the ball in from their end line.

If the 4th quarter ends with the teams tied on points, then 3 minutes of overtime are played. The team with most points at the end of overtime wins. If the teams continue to tie, additional periods of overtime are played until one team outscores the opponent in the overtime period.

Every team is allowed six time-outs during the game (four of 30 seconds, two of 60 seconds) when one of their players has the ball.

Players can be substituted when the play stops, except for after a goal.

Players holding the ball must bounce or pass it every ten seconds.

If a player throws, knocks, or carries the ball out of bounds, the other team is given possession. They throw the ball in from the side where the ball went out of bounds. Offensive fouls and penalties result in a loss of possession.

Players cannot stay in the other team’s key area for more than ten seconds. Only three players from a team may be in their own key area at the same time.

Contact between wheelchairs is allowed. Contact must be made in front of the axle of the wheel. Hitting behind the axle is not permitted due to safety concerns. No contact between players is allowed.

Players are not allowed to touch the floor with any part of their body or wheelchair, except for the wheels.

Although wheelchair rugby is a contact sport, all types of direct contact between players are not permitted under all circumstances. Other factors such as the position, location, speed, and vulnerability of players must be considered.

Unsportsmanlike conduct is not excused in the name of legal, aggressive play. Referees must consider safety without detracting from the game. Each situation is judged on its own merits.

Players serving penalties are considered to be on the court.

Defensive fouls and penalties result in the athlete spending 60 seconds in the penalty bin or until the opposition scores a try. The try clock is reset after any defensive foul.