Introduction
Futsal is FIFA's version of indoor 5-a-side football. It uses a special reduced rebound Futsal ball, smaller goals and touchlines so the ball can go out of play. Futsal has been designed to provide a high paced, energetic, fast flowing game for spectators at the same time as allowing players to be at their most creative by protecting those showing attacking flair. Some of the world's greatest players past and present have attributed their skills to Futsal. Pele, Socrates, Zico, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka to name a few.
The sport is proving popular amongst the public both for spectators and professional or amateur players. Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Argentina, Italy and Japan all have professional leagues. The Spanish league regularly attracts thirty thousand spectators a week to its games. FIFA statistics show that an estimated 25 million people worldwide play the game. In Italy the game is more popular than traditional football with around 4 million people playing Futsal compared to 1 million playing the traditional 11 a side game, Futsal is also the number 1 sport in Portuguese schools and universities.
History of the game
Futsal's origins begin in 1930 in the capital of Uruguay Montevideo. Uruguay the four times world champions are the hosts and winners of FIFA's inaugural world cup beating Argentina 2 1 in the final . In the aftermath of Uruguay's victory the streets of Montevideo are filled with people playing football. Juan Carlos Ceriani an Argentinean professor of physical education working in Montevideo at the time observed young people playing on basketball courts due to the shortage of proper pitches in the capital and formulated a set of rules for an indoor version of 5 a side football to played at the basketball court at the YMCA in Montevideo.
Brazil
The idea of playing football indoors may have originated from Uruguay, but the defining characteristic of Futsal the low smaller reduced bounce ball was Brazilian. Finding a regular football too bouncy and impractical for indoor play the Brazilians began experimenting with balls filled with sawdust and cork to reduce the balls bounce. Futebol de salão (Futsal is an abbreviation of these words) meaning 'drawing room football' was nicknamed the sport of the heavy ball.
In the 1950s the first Brazilian state Futsal federation was founded in 1954 the Metropolitan Futsal Federation of Rio de Janeiro. In 1979 the Brazilian Futsal Confederation was founded in Rio de Janeiro. In 1971 in Sao Paolo the first international governing body was formed, FIFUSA (International Federation of Futebol de salão).
European Futsal
Europe's governing body UEFA organised Europe's first championships in 1996 in Córdoba Spain. With the hosts convincingly beating Italy in the semis and Russia in the final to claim the first European title. In 1999 UEFA implemented the official European Futsal Championships with Spain as hosts. The tournament in Granada drew huge crowds with Spain narrowly missing out on the title to Russia after a penalty shoot out. The UEFA Futsal Cup was implemented the same year. With club sides earning the right for entry by winning their respective league, the Futsal equivalent of the Champions League.