Futsal players, one of whom on each team is the goalkeeper, mainly use their feet to propel a ball around the court with the objective of scoring goals against the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into the opposing team's goal. Futsal is the FIFA-recognised form of small-sided indoor football (the word is a contraction of the Spanish 'fútbol sala'). It is played between two teams who each have five players on the pitch...

Understanding the Context

What is Futsal? Futsal is a modified form of soccer that is played with five players per team (one of which is a goalkeeper); and it is played on a basketball size field (typically indoors). Futsal is a game that was developed to meet the needs of players who didn’t have the space to play soccer. The rules of futsal are similar to soccer, but the game is played indoors, uses a smaller ball, and has 5 players on each side.

Key Insights

This website is powered by SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management (SRM) software, but is owned by and subject to the US Youth Futsal privacy policy. ©2026 SportsEngine, LLC. What is Futsal? Futsal is a popular, fast-paced variant of football played indoors. Originating in South America, futsal is now played in over 100 countries, with an estimated 12 million people participating globally.

Final Thoughts

Futsal is a smaller, faster, and action packed version of the beautiful game that will leave you breathless and wanting more. Futsal is usually played indoors on hard surfaces and in a much smaller pitch, or court, compared to a full-sized soccer field. What is Futsal? Everything You Need to Know - The Art of Football