WHAT IS FUTSAL?

Futsal is the only FIFA and NZ Football approved version of five-aside football and the world’s fastest growing indoor sport.

The name futsal is derived from the Portuguese words futebol (football) and sala (hall).

Futsal is a small-sided – 5v5 – game played with a smaller (size 3 or 4) low bounce ball, on a basketball sized court without rebound walls or nets.

It is a game which combines fun, creativity, speed, technique, teamwork and quick thinking.

NZF Futsal has been designed to complement New Zealand Football’s existing programmes and promote and improve participation in football in New Zealand.

ON THE WORLD STAGE

With millions of players worldwide, futsal is a fantastic game in its own right, with professional leagues throughout Europe, South America and Asia and a FIFA Futsal World Cup every four years. The current world champions are Brazil.

Futsal produces technically excellent players and as such is an invaluable tool for football development.

Futsal actively promotes:

• individual ball skills, close control and dribbling,
• creativity and improvisation,
• maintenance of ball possession,
• one-touch passing (along the ground)
• accurate shooting, and
• teamwork and off the ball movement.

World superstars such as Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Iniesta, Messi and Neymar have all acknowledged the role futsal played in their football development.

Futsal has its own superstars with Brazil’s ‘Falcão’, arguably the world’s greatest player and often referred to as ‘The Pele of Futsal’. He has won world player of the year 4 times and is among the most skilful players.

LOCALLY

WaiBOP Football Football, along with NZ Football, are confident that with the support of all its affiliates and the ongoing support of FIFA and Oceania, futsal will grow in popularity in New Zealand.

Currently there are thousands of players involved in futsal in this country and that number is expected to grow considerably under the NZF Futsal programme.

FUTSAL PATHWAY