Why not run a Futsal division in your league?

Contact the FAI for advice on introducing Futsal to your players:

FAI UEFA Futsal representative:
Derek ONeill (Futsal Development Officer)
Football Association of Ireland, 80 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 087 2079182

FAI Regional Development Officers:

FAI CDO Denis Hynes @ denishynes@fai.ie

Clare Sports Partnership Offices,

Unit 1 Westgate Business Park, Kilrush Road, Ennis.

For Evaluation Only.

Copyright (c) by Foxit Software Company, 2004 - 2007
Edited by Foxit PDF Editor
Useful Web Addresses:
www.fifa.com www.futsalireland.com
www.uefa.com www.futsalplanet.com
www.icfds.com
 FUTSAL ...for the future of football

INTRODUCING THE GAME WHAT IS FUTSAL?

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND believes that the introduction of the game of Futsal into Irish Futsal is the official FIFA and
football will prove to have a beneficial effect on the technical development of future generations of Irish players. UEFA version of indoor 5 a side
The game is receiving huge support from FIFA and UEFA and the FAI recognises the reasons why futsal has football and indeed the only
become so popular. There are currently an estimated 25 million futsal players worldwide and this number is internationally recognised
growing rapidly indicating the global explosion of the game. small sided game.
Along with the skill development aspect, futsal is a game which brings great enjoyment within a comfortable The word Futsal comes from
environment for players. Considering the unpredictable nature of Irish weather, it is reassuring to know that the Portuguese phrase futebol
futsal provides a weatherproof version of football. de salao or the Spanish,
The FAI acknowledges that Futsal is not competing with 11 a side football but acts as a complimentary football futbol de sala which basically
initiative. Indeed, Futsal is viewed worldwide as being the ideal skill building environment for the 11 a side means indoor football.
game. Many current and past world football stars can testify to the influence of futsal on their skill development. The main feature of the game
I would encourage all of our member leagues to find out more about futsal and how it can benefit the is the ball which is a size 4
development of your players and clubs. slightly weighted leather ball
Our Futsal representatives at the FAI would welcome your comments and enquiries and are eager to help you with restricted bounce rather
learn more about the game. than the fluffy, bouncy, yellow
ball traditional to the indoor
game in Ireland.
FOR MANY YEARS, soccer fans have admired the skills and flair of the South American Futsal originated in South
and continental European superstars. The Technical Department of the FAI has America in the 1920s and is
recognised that Futsal has had a positive impact on the footballing ability of players from attributed to the natural skills
those countries. and playing style associated
I believe that the introduction of Futsal into Ireland can have a significant influence on the with Brazilian football
development of skills such as passing, dribbling, touch and close control. in particular.
An unfortunate sign of the times is that very few children now play football on the streets.
The street game is all about the players, free expression, spontaneity and the
The game is professional in
many countries including
development of intuitive skills. Futsal can serve to re ignite the spirit of street football. BRIAN KERR
SENIOR Brazil, Italy, Spain and a
I would encourage any football coach or player to become familiar with the game. INTERNATIONAL large number of Eastern
I would especially encourage coaches to introduce futsal to younger age group players as TEAM MANAGER
European countries.
the game will have the most significant impact on the skill development of these players.
World superstars such as Pele,
Zico, Ronaldo and Raul cite
futsal as a major influence in
THE TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT of the FAI has produced a blueprint for the future
their skill development.
development of our young players.
The game of Futsal has a significant role to play in this development plan. FIFA and UEFA have
Our Development Officers and coaches recognise the great benefits Futsal has to offer acknowledged the importance
players and clubs and are eager to help you explore these. of Futsal to world football and
Any initiative which helps to develop better players should be embraced and this is why now host World and European
we in the technical department welcome the inclusion of Futsal in our development plan. championships. UEFA has also
The skills polished by playing Futsal merged with the traditional strengths, PACKIE BONNER launched a club champions cup
competitiveness and spirit of Irish players may give rise to exciting new chapters TECHNICAL competition called the UEFA
DIRECTOR Futsal Cup.
in Irish football in the years to come.

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 FUTSAL ...for the future of football

BENEFITS ...WHY PLAY FUTSAL? FUTSAL ...THE WORLD GAME!

The smaller ball with restricted bounce Futsal is played professionally in many
makes it easier for young players to master countries world wide where the game
their ball control skills. is well attended and regularly commands
large audiences on National
As the futsal ball is designed to stay on the television channels.
floor, players get far more contact with the
ball than in traditional 5 a side. This results Futsal is considered an integral influence
in players improving techniques such as on the football development of world giants
dribbling, passing and close control such as Brazil, Spain and Argentina.
at an accelerated rate.
In Italy, it is estimated that there are four
As the rules of Futsal include the pitch having million registered futsal players compared
sidelines and end lines, players must be more to one million registered 11 a side players.
accurate with their passing as opposed to just
kicking the ball wildly off a wall. Spain currently has 18 professional futsal
clubs including some directly connected to
The dimensions of the Futsal court and famous football clubs such as FC Barcelona.
reduced number of players means players
participate more in the game than they would FIFA and UEFA run World and European
in outdoor 11 a side. Championship competitions every two
years while UEFA has introduced an annual
Playing in reduced space helps develop club champions competition called the
creativity. Players are encouraged to find UEFA Futsal Cup.
their way out of tight situations with a clever
pass or piece of individual skill. Futsal can It is estimated that there are 25 million futsal
encourage self reliance and free expression. players worldwide at the moment with that
number expected to grow considerably
Playing close to opponents in a small area in the future.
encourages players to think and make
decisions very rapidly. It also causes players
to learn to move off the ball in order to create
free space for their team.
The continuous rapid action means players
quickly learn to develop their awareness in
relation to game situations, positional sense
and their reading of the game.
Because of the free flowing substitution rule,
all players get approximately the same
playing time.
Its easy to put a team together as only a
minimum of 5 players are needed.
Futsal is the smallest, easiest way of playing
football without losing any of the ingredients
such as the ball, opponents, team mates, space,
pressure, rules, time, direction and tactics.
Futsal is weather proof!

5 6
 FUTSAL
SUMMARY OF THE RULES
THE BASICS
A futsal pitch for senior games should be between 38 - 42m
in length and 18 - 22m in width. However, a pitch which is
a minimum of 25m long and 15m wide is acceptable,
particularly for junior games. The goalposts measure 3m
wide by 2m high. A penalty spot is marked 6m from the goal
line. Another free kick spot is marked 10m from the goal
line. An arc of radius 6m from the line and goalpost
uprights is marked as the goalkeepers area.
The game is played for two halves of 20 minutes with junior
games being 15 minutes a half. The ball used is a size 4 and
is slightly weighted to give a restricted bounce.
Each team starts with five players on the pitch including
the goalkeeper.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Usually there are two referees who officiate from the
touchlines and a timekeeper controlling the clock on the
sideline. However, its not entirely necessary to employ
three officials for junior games with one being adequate.
TIMEOUTS
Each team is allowed a one minute timeout in each half.
Coaches are not allowed on the pitch during the timeout.
No timeouts should the match go to extra time.
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...for the future of football
SUMMARY OF THE RULES
SUBSTITUTIONS
Each team can name up to seven substitutes and make
unlimited substitutions. Any player replaced may re-
enter the game to replace another player at any time.
The substitutions only take place through marked
substitution zones or areas.
BALL OUT OF PLAY
Futsal is a fast moving game and rules are designed to
discourage time wasting. When ball goes out of play at the
sidelines, it is kicked (not thrown) back into play. Opponents
must be five metres from the ball for the kick in. Goals
cannot be scored direct from kick ins. When the ball goes
wide at the end lines, goalkeepers can only throw the ball
back into play.
If kick ins, goal kicks, corners and free kicks are not
taken within four seconds, the other team get possession
of the ball.
FOULS
Futsal is designed to be a safe game with the emphasis on
skill. Direct free kicks are awarded for kicking, tripping,
charging, striking, pushing, holding, slide tackling (except
the goalkeeper within his / her arc), deliberate handball
and dissent. All other free kicks are indirect. Opponents
must be 5 metres from the ball for free kicks.
ACCUMULATED FOULS
When a team has committed five fouls, every subsequent
foul by that team is penalised by a direct free kick from the
10 metre mark. This is irrespective of where the foul took
place on the pitch and unless the foul was closer than 10
metres from goal .The defending team is not allowed to
form a defensive wall for these free kicks.
RED CARDS
If a player is sent off, a substitute can be sent on AFTER
TWO MINUTES but the player who has received the red
card may not return.
If a team reduced to three or four players concede a goal
within those two minutes they may bring on an extra
player, but only if their opponents had more players on the
pitch at that time. If a team is reduced to less than three
players, the match is abandoned.
 FUTSAL
ANATOMY OF A FUTSAL PLAYER
BRAIN: As time and space are restricted, a player must be technically sound in order to produce a precise
pass or a clever piece of skill. Tackles must also be well timed to avoid a side amassing more than 5 fouls in
a half if this happens, teams are not allowed to form a defensive wall for the subsequent free kicks which
are awarded from the 10 metres line irrespective of where the foul took place on the pitch!
EYES: Good peripheral vision is essential given the smaller dimensions of the playing area and the fast paced
nature of the game. One well placed pass can turn a defensive situation into a scoring opportunity. It is also
vital to be able to read opponents tactics.
EARS: players must often rely on the calls of team mates to be able to exploit any open spaces they may
not have seen in the tight conditions. Also, with rolling substitutions, players must be fully conscious of
instructions from the sidelines.
TORSO: physical strength is important as the players often have to jockey for position in confined areas.
Because sliding challenges are not allowed, it is vital to be able to hold off rival players who might try to
muscle their way into possession. Fitness is vital as players are using short, sharp bursts of energy. Those
with good stamina will be better able to move quickly from defence to attack and then back again. Throughout
a game, a player might be expected to perform a number of different roles. Studies have shown that athletes
can only perform at peak levels for a few minutes at a time. This can lead to constant rotation of one or two
players at a time or even a whole quartet of outfield players. When called upon, the sub must be able to get
up to the speed of the game very quickly.
LEGS: Speed is essential with players needing to be in almost
perpetual motion whenever involved in the action. Short, sharp bursts
of pace allow the player to react to swift counterattacks or to get back
in position after a foiled foray forward. As with all sports, a proper warm
up is essential. Once the play starts, the action barely lets up for the 20
minutes of each half unless the clock is stopped for instances such as
time outs, fouls or goals. Because rolling subs are used, players must try
to stay fresh even when not involved in the action. A player can go from
resting on the sidelines to being on the attack with the goal at his / her
mercy within seconds.
FEET: Footwear that allows for a good grip on the playing surface, as
well as providing maximum control over the ball is essential. Rather
than using their instep to kick the ball, players tend to use the point
of their feet for better accuracy over short distances. It is also
important for players to be able to get rid of the ball quickly.
There is no time for players to switch the ball to their preferred
foot, so good control is a must. The faster the execution,
the more chance of getting a shot away before a defender
can close down the space. The ability to perform a
special piece of ball skill can assist a player in
turning an awkward situation into a bright opening.
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...for the future of football
BASIC TECHNICAL AND TACTICAL TIPS
There are a number of notable technical skills frequently used
in futsal which are a direct influence of the smaller weighted
ball used:
As the ball tends to stay on the floor, the sole of the foot is quite
often used to bring it under control.
The sole of the foot is very often used in moves to beat players.
As players are closed down very quickly and time is sometimes
limited to split seconds to make a pass or to shoot, the point of
the toe is often used to play the ball. Because there is no back
lift of the leg, the pass or shot can be made far more quickly.
The point of the toe can also produce a powerful shot.
ROTATION: EVERYONE MOVES
There are normally no pre-defined defensive or attacking positions IN ALL DIRECTIONS
exclusively allocated to individual players in futsal as there is in
11 a side football. All players ideally should be able to attack and
defend. One exception to this is that some teams often use a
specialist stay put central striker known as the pivot.
This player usually plays with his / her back to goal to control
attacks and set up opportunities for oncoming team mates.
A basic futsal team formation is the classic 3:1 diamond
formation. This gives the man on the ball passing options to
the right, left and forward. Players can find themselves in any
part of the formation at any given time during a game.
Players tend to rotate positions and find they can be defending
one moment and then attacking often within a matter of seconds.
CENTER AS A TARGET
Usually, the highly skilled players are the ones who can create REFERENCE MAN
most scoring opportunities with their ability to beat players
and create space.
Because of the non stop high pace of the game where players
must constantly attack and defend, rolling substitutions are a
popular feature of the game. Teams often change the outfield
players one, two and even up to four at a time to maintain the
relentless pace of the game and allow players a rest period
before rejoining the action again.
When defending, teams will quite often get all players behind
the ball and retreat into their own half. This tactic usually
results in a team being harder to break down and the use of
less energy than if they were to play a pressing game in the
opponents half. However, World futsal superpowers Brazil,
Spain and Russia favour a pressinggame which requires a
superior physical conditioning of players.
 FUTSAL
FAMOUS FUTSAL PLAYERS
Brazil are the only country to have won five World Cups. Futsal is attributed to having honed the skills of
generations of Brazilian players from Pele to Ronaldo. Indeed, Futsal's influence is hallmarked in the
Brazilian style of play where a short passing possession game is crowned with bursts of magical skill,
capable of opening up the world's best defences.

Of course futsal was important

in helping to develop my ball
control, quick thinking, passing.
of course you have to have
an aptitude for both futsal
and normal football and
you must have the capacity
to adjust because of the
differences in the games.
But for dribbling, balance,
concentration. futsal was

For Evaluation Only.

Copyright (c) by Foxit Software Company, 2004 - 2007
Edited by Foxit PDF Editor
very very important,
no doubt. - Pele

Ronaldo, who also started his

career on the Futsal courts,
described his World Cup
semi-final winning goal
against Turkey as follows:
Nobody expected me to do it
Ronaldo recalled later.
Its a difficult technique to shoot
the ball with the point
of the toe, but it was just
instinctive, and I owe it all
to playing a lot of futsal
when I was younger.

11