What is Futsal?
Futsal is soccer’s younger cousin. Some believe that its invention came from the love of
short-sided or pickup soccer.
It is played with five players per team, on a hard surface and the duration of the game is
only 40 minutes. The Futsal ball is smaller than a traditional soccer ball and players wear
indoor shoes or flats.
Futsal is a fast-paced version of the beautiful game that allows players to get many
touches on the ball. Plus, physical contact is discouraged which makes it a great sport for
kids as well as adults.
The History of Futsal
Soccer is called football in most of the world. It is believed this is where the name “Futsal”
stems from. The game of futsal was invented in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930. Football
(Soccer) was already the top sport in the country, but after Uruguay won gold medals in
the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics and the World Cup in 1930 it saw a jump in
popularity.
A teacher, Juan Carlos Ceriani, developed the new game as a recreational indoor soccer
(or indoor football) game to play in gyms or basketball courts in YMCAs. His goal was to
create a game similar to soccer that could be played indoors or outdoor, but also could
be played with fewer participants.
Ceriani didn’t want to create a football clone, but something new. So he incorporated
many aspects and rules from different games.
• Soccer – players can use all parts of the body except the hands and arms.
• Water polo – Goalkeeper rules
• Basketball – The number of players (5) on the Futsal field and the length of the
game: 40 Minutes.
• Handball – The goal and field sizes.
The YMCA network spread the game throughout South America and it became a hit.
Players loved it because it was easy to play and could be played year-round.
Today it is the only form of indoor soccer officially endorsed by FIFA (Fédération
Internationale de Football Association or in English: International Federation of
Association Football)
