New stage of women futsal

Report by Alexey Scherbakov

In season 2008/2009 the Russian Football Union at last has transferred the rights to carrying out of futsal competitions among women futsal association of Russia (AMFR). This is certainly the right decision which starts with philosophy and strategy of development of futsal as an independent kind of sports.

The Russian Women Futsal Association (RWFA), spent within 16 years internal Russian competitions (Championship, Cup and tournaments among girls of different age) could not provide to the full normal development and propagation of women futsal in the country. And nevertheless, it is impossible to cross out the last merits, achievements and records of the Russian women futsal.

With the opening of the XVII championship of Russia, the Premier-League features only five teams (while six clubs will take part in the national cup):

1. Laguna-UOR Penza – Russian champion 2007/2008.
2. Viktoria Nizhny Novgorod region - Russian champion 2006/2007, Cup Winner 2006/2007 and 2007/2008. The club features two of the best forward in the Russian women futsal: Pavlina Borodina (national "superstar" of women futsal) and Olessya Didenko, girl from Chertanovo (Moscow).
3. Aurora Sankt-Peterburg - four times winner of the Russian Cup, five times winner of the European Champions Cup UEFS (version FIFUSA/AMF).
4. Snezhana-Kotelniki Lyubertsy - Russian champion 1995/1996 and 1996/1997, Cup Winner 1997 and 2005/2006. The club is based on the Moscow Automobile Ring Road (MKAD) structure, one of the oldest women football team of the Moscow region (founded in 1989).
5. UGTU-UPI Ekaterinburg – 2nd Division winner 2007/2008. The women club has represented the local University and counts on a huge futsal tradition.

Unfortunately, for different reasons, the three times Russian holder Chertanovo (Moscow), as well as Slavia (Tula) could not take part in the competition.

At the end of the regular season, a four clubs play-off series is planned to take place. Also, regional women tournaments should open the Premiere-League doors to the best clubs for the next season 2009/2010:
- Povolzhye league(the holder Flikker Nizhny Novgorod, Yashlek Sabinsk, Forsazh Ulyanovsk, DJuSSH N° 5 Kirov, Vzlet Bor)
- Moscow region league (Ecostrom-Saljut Sergiev-Posad, Alektan Moscow (founded in 1987!), Prialit Reutov, SK Shelkovo, Zorky, Zorky-B (both from Krasnogorsk), Vybor Odintcovo, Dolgie Prudy Dolgoprudny and Serebrjanyje Prudy).
- Golden Ring league (DJuSSH Kostroma, Tekstilshik Ivanovo, Vologzhanka Vologda, DJuSSH Kostroma region and team from Yaroslavl)
- Privolzhye league (MFK Buzuluk, MFK Saratov, Laguna-UOR-B, DJuSSH-8 Astrahan)
- Siberia league (TGPU, SibGMU, both from Tomsk, Politechnik-SFU, KGPU, DJuSSH-2, all from Krasnoyarsk, Siberia Novosibirsk)

The organization of similar tournaments in other russian regions is still possible (Nord-West, Moscow, Black Earth region).

Also, during the first European championship Under-21 in St.-Petersburg, the federations of Russia and Spain have put forward a dialogue in order to set tournaments between national teams in the year 2009. The initiative authors wait for an answer from the following countries: Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, Hungary, Finland, Netherlands, where women futsal is developed as well.














Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com