Futsal? Did You Mean Futbal?

10. Dec, 2010 0 Comments

The first time I saw the word futsal, I thought someone had made a spelling error and maybe meant to write futbal instead. For those of you who were confused like me, let’s take a closer look at the differences between futsal and futbal.

Futsal, although similar to soccer, is more like indoor soccer with a few special changes for indoor play. The field is much smaller, about the size of a basketball court (25mx15m), and, unlike indoor soccer, futsal uses touch boundaries instead of dasherboards. This means that there are no walls to bank the ball off of if you get into a tight squeeze. The 5v5 match consists of two 20 minute halves using a stopped watch system instead of the running watch we are used to in regulation soccer. A #4 ball (instead of #5) is used because of its low bounce properties. Clearly, because of the touch boundaries and special ball, futsal focuses more on ball control and creative plays in a tight area.

Here’s a quicker run-down of the differences between Futsal and Soccer:

Soccer	Futsal
#5 ball	#4 ball – 30% less bounce
11 players	5 players per side (including goal keeper)
3 substitutions	Unlimited, “flying” substitutions
Throw-in	Kick-in
Running clock	Stopped clock
45 minute halves	20 minute halves
No time-outs	1 time-out per half
Goal kicks	Goal Clearance (throw)
Some contact	No shoulder charges or sliding tackles
No absolute time limit to restart game	4-second rule on restarts
Offside rule	No offside rule
Goalkeeper steps	No restrictions, but limited to 4 seconds
Goalkeeper cannot touch by hand a ball kicked back	Goalkeeper cannot touch by hand a ball played back
Unlimited back passes to Goalkeeper	One back pass to Goalkeeper
No sub for player sent off	Player sent off can be substituted for after 2 minutes or other has scored
Corner kick placed in arch	Corner kick placed on corner

For those curious, here’s a highlights reel from the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup where Brazil played Spain.

FIFA Futsal World Cup 2008 – Brazil vs. Spain

And, to preview the big UEFA and NCAA matches coming up, UEFA.com has put up a training video with some futsal play tips. Check back next week for a re-cap of the UEFA and NCAA finals!

UEFA Training Ground – Futsal Formations