FA FUTSAL CUP FINALS 2010

The Football Association will once again be staging the FA Futsal Cup Finals in Sheffield at the English Institute for Sport from the 10th to 12th September 2010. This will be the eighth year that this showpiece cup competition in the FA Futsal calendar has been held in Sheffield, and this year will see 16 of the country’s leading male and female futsal clubs along with some new teams that have made it through the regional qualification stages. The finals will also feature the winners and runners-up from the British University and College Sport (BUCS) 2010 National Futsal Finals which were also held in Sheffield earlier in the year.

The Men’s FA Futsal Cup competition brings together leading clubs from the FA National Futsal Northern, Midlands and Southern Leagues. Both the regional qualifying teams and BUCS teams will be hoping to spring a few surprises in true cup giant killing fashion when the teams face each other in the group stages which will consist of four groups of four teams.

The Women’s FA Futsal Cup competition is made up of some of the leading women’s futsal and football clubs. Last year’s winners Watford Ladies will be hoping to successfully defend their title this year but will face some difficult opposition along the way from the likes of Team United Birmingham Ladies and Reading FC. BUCS representatives Northumbria University and MMU Cheshire will also hope to demonstrate their futsal prowess over the weekend.

The top two teams from the groups will progress through to the knock-out stages in order to reach the finals which will decide who has the right to declare themselves FA Futsal Cup National Champions 2010.

The FA Futsal Cup Finals will see a host of thrilling group matches that get underway on Friday 10 September with the women’s competition starting from 2:00pm and concluding with the Cup Final on Saturday 11 September at 6:30pm. The men’s competition will commence their group games at 4:00pm on Friday 10 September and reach its climax on Sunday 12th September at 3:30pm with the showpiece Cup Final. Beforehand there will be an exhibition match at 1:30pm showcasing some of the top youth Futsal in the country. Come along to see the cup final action and find out what Futsal is all about – entrance for spectators is free.

“The FA Futsal Cup is one of the highlights of the national futsal calendar as it brings together a host of male and female adult teams that all deserve their chance to become national cup champions. Now in its eighth year the popularity of the FA Futsal Cup continues to flourish as the game develops in England. The atmosphere of the event is always terrific and the clubs involved really give it their all in their quest to be remembered in FA Futsal Cup history. This year’s FA Futsal Cup will no doubt raise the bar in terms of the quality of male and female futsal teams that are now competing in this event year on year.” (Simon Walker, FA National Manager for Small Sided Football)

What is Futsal?
Futsal is FIFA and UEFAs recognised format of 5-a-side football and in recent years has been embraced by The Football Association. FIFA claim that it is the fastest growing indoor sport in the world, and is immensely popular outside of the UK. Futsal has played an important role in the technical development of some of the world’s leading football players; Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kaka, Xavi, Ronaldinho to name just a few all played Futsal as they grew up and developed into world beaters. The FA are keen to harness the benefits of this game and introduce it to benefit the technical development of English young players. Futsal is being played widely in schools, colleges and universities across the country, and The FA has established an adult National Futsal League and an England senior men’s Futsal team that plays in European and World Cups.

Futsal is a format of 5-a-side football that is played indoors with a smaller, heavier ball. The game is played to pitch lines and hockey-sized goals, which helps to encourage improved decision making and technical skill from young players.


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