Jan 17

Jan 17 Beginners Guide to Futsal: Everything you need to know

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Everything You Need to Know About the Game of Futsal

Football is the most popular sport worldwide as you can play it anywhere at any time.

Local traditions, cultures, weather conditions and facilities have led to different forms of the beautiful game and Futsal is one example!

Futsal is the official FIFA and UEFA version of indoor football, with 5 players on each team. Let us Guide you through this popular sport.

Futsal is a football format played worldwide and it receives constant recognition and support from FIFA, UEFA and other official organisations.

A recent news article highlights that futsal is actually a precursor to football, and the legendary footballer Pele called it "the beautiful game.”

Numerous factors make futsal a popular, fast-speed indoor sport, such as high drama, enthusiasm, teamwork and skill.

Although we shouldn’t compare futsal with football, it is ideal for building and improving the skills required for playing football.

In this article, we will answer the question "what is futsal?" and discuss all the essential details of this sport. Read on to find out more!

What is Futsal?

Futsal is the official UEFA and FIFA version of indoor football.

The word "futsal" comes from "futebol de salao” in Portuguese or "futbol de sala” in Spanish. This means indoor football.

Research shows that futsal first originated in South America in the early 20th century.

Most people attribute futsal to the natural skills and playing style of South American players, particularly Brazilian-style football.

The ball is the primary feature of futsal. Unlike the traditional fluffy and bouncy football ball, it is a size-4 leather ball with restricted bounce.

In addition, futsal is famous worldwide, particularly in Brazil, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Eastern European countries.

Superstars including Pele, Ronaldo, Zico and Ronaldinho state that futsal played a crucial role in their skill development.

Organisations such as FIFA and UEFA acknowledge futsal's significance to world football. These organisations even host futsal world and European championships.

UEFA has made substantial efforts to promote futsal in Europe, launching the UEFA Futsal Cup, a club-style competition that allows young players to showcase their talent and skill.

What are the Benefits of Playing Futsal?

Futsal offers many benefits to players looking to improve their skills and become professional footballers.

The small-size ball with restricted bounce allows young players to master their ball control, passing and dribbling skills.

There are numerous other benefits of this game, detailed below.

1. More contact with the ball

You can get more contact with the ball in a game of Futsal, because it is designed to stay on the field or floor.

Playing a classic 5-a-side match allows you to improve your techniques, such as passing and dribbling.

You will have better ball control at an accelerated rate when playing futsal. This better prepares you for professional football.

2. Improves accuracy

Futsal has unique rules. For example, the pitch must have sidelines and end lines.

This means you must focus on your accuracy with passing, instead of kicking the ball aggressively off a wall like in other forms of indoor football.

Paying attention to this rule will improve your accuracy!

3. Increased participation

A futsal court has smaller dimensions than a football field.

Likewise, the reduced number of players allows each player to participate more.

Increased participation enables you to get more contact with the ball and improve your skills.

Playing in limited space also leads to creativity, as you feel encouraged to play in tight situations and ensure accurate passing and dribbling.

This means that futsal is an excellent way to improve self-resilience, creativity and expression.

4. Improves decision-making

Futsal allows you to play close to opponents on a small-size court.

It encourages you to brainstorm and make quick decisions. This means that you can learn to move off the ball, streamline teamwork and create free space to score a goal.

Moreover, rapid action allows you to develop and improve "ball" awareness and ensure you have a greater positional sense and game readiness.

You will get plenty of playing time, thanks to the free-flowing futsal substitution rule.

5. It is convenient and affordable

Futsal is an excellent way to enhance your football skills and achieve convenience, reliability and efficiency.

You don't need to worry about factors such as losing the ball, your opponents, your teammates, intense pressure, the rules, the space, the amount of time, your tactics or your direction.

Similarly, futsal is an indoor game, meaning you can play it in any weather condition, without concerns about high and low temperatures, high winds, rain or snowfall.

What are the basic rules of Futsal?

A futsal pitch for adults is between 38 and 42 metres or 27 to 46 yards in length.

The width is between 18 and 22 metres or 16 to 27 yards. Youth teams can play on a 27-yard-long and 16-yard-wide pitch.

The goalposts are 10 feet wide and 6 ½ feet high. The penalty line is 20 feet from the goal line, and the "free kick" spot is 10 metres or 11 yards from the goal line.

The goalkeeper's area is a 6-metre arc radius from the line.

There are 2 "halves" in futsal, like football. However, the duration of a half differs from mainstream football.

Each half is about 20 minutes for games played by adults, and 15 minutes for youth teams.

Futsal Referees

Two referees administer a futsal game. These officials monitor the game from the touchlines and control the clock on the sideline.

Bear in mind that most youth futsal games do not have 2 referees because a single official is sufficient to control the game and maintain order.

Timeouts in Futsal

Timeouts are integral to futsal, as it is a fast-paced and stamina-driven game.

Each team can take a 1-minute timeout in each half. A coach or manager can't come onto the pitch during the timeout.

Timeouts are not bound to extra time in the game. This means that the total duration of a match is 30 minutes for youth teams and 40 minutes for seniors or adults.

How many Substitutions can you make in a game of Futsal?

Futsal is a flexible game, allowing teams to name up to 7 substitutes.

The best thing about futsal is that you can make unlimited substitutions. Likewise, if another player replaces you during the game, you can re-enter by substituting any player at any time.

However, futsal requires substitutions in specific zones or marked areas.

No Throw-In’s

Because futsal is a fast-paced game, the rules don't allow players to throw the ball back into play when it goes out of space on the sidelines.

Instead of throwing the ball, you kick it back into play.

Bear in mind that your teammates must be at least 5 yards from the ball when you take the kick into the play. You can't use kick-ins to score a goal.

Only goalkeepers can throw the ball using their hands when it goes wide at the end lines.

How to improve your Futsal skills?

There are considerable technical skills to focus on when playing Futsal.

However, most of these skills or tactics are associated with the small-weighted ball used in the game. Simply put, you must have excellent ball control to streamline your skills.

For example, you can use your foot sole to control the ball. The futsal ball has only a little bounce and usually stays on the floor.

Moreover, you can't keep the ball for a long time because players will close down quickly.

We recommend making a pass or shooting the ball frequently to ensure it remains with your teammates.

Another reason is to increase the chances of scoring a goal. Use the point of your toe to play the ball accurately and reliably. There is no shame in the toe poke in Futsal!

In addition, futsal doesn’t give you enough time to lift your leg, meaning you must pass or shoot quickly using just the point of your toe.

This technique allows you to take a powerful shot, making it challenging for the opposition to stop it.

Mainstream football has pre-defined attacking and defensive positions. Each player is assigned a specific position in football. However, this is not the case in Futsal.

All players can attack or defend, depending on the situation.

If your team wants to make the most of futsal, a dedicated central striker (also known as the pivot) is essential.

This player stays close to the goal and sets up opportunities for teammates to streamline attacks and score a goal.

Final Words on Fustal!

Futsal is a fast, energetic and stamina-driven sport, allowing players to improve their self-confidence, boost ball control skills and become professional football players.

It is an excellent game for children and teenagers, enabling them to discover their talents and abilities, and speed up football development.

Futsal also allows you to think creatively and outside the box, enhancing your mental capabilities and helping you make quick and informed decisions.