Courtesy: British Universities Sports Association Web Site

The FA seek interest in a new national five-a-side Futsal league

30.04.07

The FA is researching the establishment of a new national five-a-side Futsal league that will kick-off in 2007/8, and is seeking expressions of interest from clubs and organisations wishing to register their interest in entering the competition. The FA Futsal League will offer the opportunity for a team to be crowned the official national champions and to qualify as England’s representative in the UEFA Futsal Cup.

Futsal is the form of five-a-side football that is played by an estimated 30 million players around the world and is supported nationally and internationally by The FA, FIFA and UEFA. The sport differs from traditional five-a-side football in that the Law of the game are designed to encourage technical development and fair play.

The pitch dimensions are comparable to a basketball or netball court and the game is played to touchlines rather than re-bound boards used in five-a-side football, and the goals are roughly the same size as in hockey. The Futsal ball is similar to a volleyball – it has smaller and has lower bounce than a football – and there is no restriction on the ball going over head height nor on players entering the penalty area. Teams can make unlimited substitutions at any time during a match, but are penalised if they accumulate more than five fouls.

The FA has produced an Information Guide and Registration Form for Expressions of Interest which can be by emailing Dermot Collins at Dermot.Collins@TheFA.com. Interested parties can attend a briefing seminar at the FA on Thursday 10 May 2007.

Further information about the sport of Futsal and the FA Futsal League is available from the web site.

About Futsal
Futsal also contributes to the technical development of eleven-a-side football. Ronaldihno, the Barcelona and Brazil striker who won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, is just one of many footballers who has played Futsal. Italy – winners of the football FIFA World Cup in 2006 – has four million Futsal players, compared to just one million footballers..

The sport originated in Uruguay and Brazil in the 1930s and 170 nations is now participate in FIFA’s futsal programme. The name Futsal is derived from futebol de Salão (Portuguese) and fútbol sala (Spanish), both of which mean ‘hall football’.

Futsal in England

The FA have had a developing Futsal programme over the last four years. From a zero basis the game has experienced steady growth.

• The FA Futsal Cup is in its fourth year and will draw its 16 Finalists from 40 qualifying Tournaments - approximately 400 teams
• The FA Futsal Cup this year will feature 8 youth festival competitions and a senior Women’s Competition
• Over 1500 people have undertaken the ‘Introduction to Futsal’ Coaching Course.
• Futsal Programmes have been initiated in 26 County Football Associations
• Equipment packs have been distributed and well received in Schools. FA Research and monitoring has shown that Young people like playing this game!
• Over 500 Equipment packs have been distributed to schools, colleges and Universities
• Initial discussions have taken place on the formation of a National Futsal League for 2008
• An England Team has been initiated but has enjoyed limited success to date. A FA Futsal League is intended to aid the development of the England team that will be able to compete in future FIFA and UEFA tournaments.



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