Futsal is a game played between two teams of five players on each side. One of the five players is a goalkeeper who unlike soccer/football is very active out on the field. The game of futsal is played on a hard court surface with flat lines on it like a basketball court for the boundaries. It is played with a smaller ball (futsal ball) that has less bounce than a regular soccer ball. To be great at the game of futsal you need to have great improvisation, technique, creativity, ball control and heightened awareness.
Here is a little interesting tidbit… the name futsal comes from the Portuguese Futebol de salão, which can be translated as “room football”. It was developed in Brazil in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
Futsal Field Pitch Size:
A futsal field can be any flat, smooth and non-abrasive material. The length of the field is in the range of 38–42 meters or 42–46 yards, and the width is in the range of 20–25 meters or 22–27 yards.
A rectangular futsal goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line.
The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 3 meters or 3.3 yards apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2 m 2.2 yards above the ground.
The depth of the futsal goal is 80 cm or 31 inches at the top and 1 m or 3.3 feet at the bottom of the goal.
In front of each goal is an area known as the futsal penalty area. This area is a 6 meters or 6.6 yards radius from the goal line, centered on the goalposts.
The upper part of each quarter-circle of a is then joined by a 3.16 meters or 3.46 yard line running parallel to the goal line between the goalposts. The line marking the edge of the penalty area is known as the futsal penalty area line.
The futsal field penalty area marks where the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with his hands. The penalty mark is six metres from the goal line when it reaches the middle of the goalposts. The second penalty mark is 10 meters or 11 yards from the goal line when it reaches the middle of the goalposts.
A penalty kick for futsal is awarded if a player commits a foul inside the penalty area.
The second penalty spot is used if a player commits his team’s sixth foul in the opposing team’s half or in his own half in the area bordered by the halfway line and an imaginary line parallel to the halfway line passing through the second penalty mark; the free kick is taken from the second penalty mark.
How is Futsal Played?
At the beginning of the futsal match, a coin toss is used to decide who will start the match.
A kick-off is used to signal the start of play in futsal and is also used at the start of the second half and any periods of extra time. It is also used after a goal has been scored, with the other team starting the play.After a temporary stoppage for any reason the referee will drop the ball where the play was stopped, provided that, prior to the stoppage, the ball was in play and had not crossed either the touch lines or goal lines.
If the ball goes over the goal line or touchline, hits the ceiling, or the play is stopped by the referee, the ball is out of play. If it hits the ceiling of an indoor arena, play is restarted with a kick-in to the opponents of the team that last touched the ball, under the place where it hit the ceiling
