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What is Futsal?
Ever wondered how some of the world’s most skilful players developed their ability to beat opponents at will? How did players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and Roberto Carlos develop the skills that have taken their game to the highest level?
Futsal has provided these players with the platform to become some of the world’s most technically gifted and exciting players. No other game explores the skill, energy and fitness required to beat players and show the flair, drive and ball manipulation that can leave the opponent standing.
Futsal is the format of Small Sided Football that is recognised and supported by FIFA and UEFA. A host of professional leagues throughout the world have enabled the creation of World and European Championships for club and National Teams. No other sport is experiencing such growth and demand as Futsal, and with further campaigns taking place to introduce Futsal onto the Olympic stage, the sport will soon have global prominence and recognition.
Futsal is a five-a-side game, normally played on a slightly larger pitch with hockey-sized goals and a size four ball with a reduced bounce. It is played to touchlines and all players are free to enter the penalty area and play the ball over head height. As a small-sided game players are constantly placed in situations where they must receive or play whilst under pressure or in confined spaces. As a game it places considerable demand on technique, movement, tactical awareness and fitness.
Already, Futsal has incorporated and assimilated techniques and tactics from other small-sided games. Playing Futsal allows the player to touch the ball nearly 12 times more than playing football. Players also learn how to both defend and attack from any position of the pitch. The player benefits are endless.
The main differences between Eleven-a-side Football, traditional English Five-a-side and Futsal are summarized below:
| Traditional 5-a-Side | Futsal | Eleven-a-Side |
| Five players on court – limited substitutions. | Five players on court – rolling substitutions | Eleven players on pitch – maximum three substitutions |
| No By or End lines – use rebound boards. Ball constantly in play. | Played to lines. Ball is returned to play with a kick-in. | Played to lines. Ball returned to play with a throw-in. |
| Use of indoor or Astroturf pitch. | Use of wider and longer indoor pitch. | Use of outside grass pitch. |
| Only Goalkeepers permitted to enter penalty area. | All players allowed to enter the penalty area. | All players allowed to enter the penalty area. |
| Use of restriction to the height of the ball. | No height restriction on ball. | No height restriction on ball. |
| Use of rectangular goals. Use of football size 5 for adults. | Use of square goals (3m by 2m) Use of size 4 Futsal ball (30% reduced bounce) | Use of rectangular full-size goals. Use of football size 5 for adults. |
| Unlimited fouls. | Five foul limit. No wall for direct free kick from 10m after fifth foul. | Unlimited fouls. |
Dimensions of a Futsal Pitch
Further information can be found on the FIFA website with the complete rules of the game.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
