FUTSAL

1. History of Futsal
About US Futsal
The origin of Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) can be traced back to Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani
devisedafive-a-sideversionof soccerforyouthcompetioninYMCAs. The game isplayedonbasketball-sizedcourts,both
indoors and out without the use of sidewalls.
The term FUTSAL is the international term used for the game. It is derived from the Spanish or Portuguese word for
"soccer"-- FUTbol or FUTebol, and the French or Spanish word for "indoor" -- SALon or SALa. The term was adopted by
U.S. Futsal since it includes the initials "fUtSAl" (USA). The term was trademarked in the United States after U.S. Futsal
changed its corporate name within the state of California.
The game is frequently referred to as Five-A-Side or Mini-soccer. Once Ceriani got the ball rolling, Futsal gained rapid
popularitythroughoutSouthAmerica,particularlyinBrazil. The skilldevelopedinthisgame isvisibleinthe world-famous
style the Brazilians display outdoors on the full-sized field. Pele, Zico, Socrates, Bebeto and other Brazilian superstars
developed their skill playing Futsal. While Brazil continues to be the Futsal hub of the world, the game is now played,
under the auspices of FIFA, all over the world, from Europe to North and Central America and the Caribbean, South
America, Africa, and Asia and Oceania.
The firstinternational competitiontookplace in1965, whenParaguaywonthe firstSouthAmericanCup. Six more South
AmericanCupswere heldthrough1979, withBrazil winningall of them. Brazil continueditsdominance withavictoryin
the firstPanAmericanCupin1980 andwonitagainthe nexttime itwasplayedin1984. A U.S. teamtookpart inthe 1984
cup, but finished out of the running.
U.S. Futsal was foundedin1981 and incorporatedinJanuary,1983. OsvaldoGarcia was it's first president. The game is
referredtoas Minisoccer,five-a-side soccer,Futbol SalaorFutebol de Salao,but it isalso widlyrefereedbyittrademark
name, Futsal. The current U.S. Futsal president is Alex J.C. Para.
The firstFutsal WorldChampionshipconductedunderthe auspicesof FIFUSA (before itsmembersintegratedintoFIFA in
1989) was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1982, with Brazil finishing in first place. The Braziliansrepeated as champions at
the second World Championship in 1985 in Spain, but lost in the third World Championship in 1988 in Australia to
Paraguay. FIFA tookoverdirectsponsorshipof the eventin1989inHollandand1992 inHongKong.Brazil wonbothtimes.
The U.S. Futsal (IndoorTeam),finishedthirdin1989 andsecondin1992 at the FIFA Five-a-SideWorldChampionship. The
highest showing by any team from the United States in a FIFA tournament until the U.S. Womens team won the gold
medal in China for outdoor soccer. The Third FIFA World Championshipwas held November 24 through December 11,
1996, in Spain and for the first time FIFA names it the FIFA Futsal World Championship. The Fourth FIFA Futsal World
Championship was held in Guatemala between November 18 to December 4th, 2000. The fifth Futsal World
Championship was held in Taipei in December 2004.
The first international Futsal match playedby the U.S. Futsal National Team was in May 1984 in Nanaimo, Canada, and
the United States won 6-5. The first international Futsal match in the United States was held in December, 1985, at
Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. The U.S. select team, defeated Australia, 9-5.
U.S. Futsal hasconducteda National Championshipeachyearsince 1985. Futsal isestablishingitselfatthe youthlevel in
the U.S. The Boys and Girls Clubsof Americatook a strong interestafterthe ColumbiaPark Clubin San Francisco asked
U.S.Futsal togive ademonstration. The nationalorganizationadoptedthe sport,anditisnow playedatabout1,100 Boys
andGirlsClubsthroughoutthe U.S. The AmericanYouthSoccerOrganization(AYSO) alsoplaysthesportinaclose working
relationship with U.S. Futsal since 1988.

2. The U.S. YouthSoccerAssociation(USYSA)andU.S.Futsal signedanagreementinAugustof 1995 andin1999, topromote
futsal inall theirNational State Association as their game of choice for indoor soccer under the auspices of U.S. Futsal.
About Futsal
Futsal is the only form of indoor soccer endorsed by FIFA. It earned the status of FIFA’s official form of indoor soccer
in the 1980s as it was recognized as a scaled down version of outdoor soccer played indoors. It is a 5 v 5 small-sided
game played on a hard surfaced, basketball sized court with a smaller, heavier low bounce ball. Futsal is played with
touchline boundaries and without walls.
This is the game that outdoor soccer players around the globe play to refine and maintain their control skills and
touch. It is superior to walled soccer in terms of developing better skills and technique. In traditional American walled
soccer, players regularly whack the ball (and sometimes their bodies) against the boards which promotes improper
technique and too often rewards errant play. In futsal, players are constantly reminded to play the same quality
control game that is required for success in the outdoor game.
The UEFA Graphical Guide to the Game
Futsal is the only "Official form of Indoor Soccer" as approved by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association
FIFA. It is played in all the continents of the world by over 100 countries with 12 million players. Futsal is played on a
gymnasium hard-wood floor or all-purpose sports flooring. The game does not require the use of expensive dasher
boards, as do other versions of indoor soccer, therefore making it a very economical and safe sport.
The sport is a great skill developer as it demands quick reflexes, fast thinking, pin-point passing. The small, heavier
futsal ball requires players to hone their ball-striking and ball handling technique. Great soccer superstars such as
Pele, Zico, Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka and Katia grew up playing the game and credit futsal with developing their skills.
Futsal Is Not New
Futsal is the new rage in American soccer. However, as is often the case, the US is just catching on to what the world
already knows. Superior soccer skill is built by simulating the outdoor game indoors with small sided games and a smaller
ball. World famous clubs such as Ajax have used this approach for years. Futsal has been around for over fifty years but
US interest in soccer skill development has only recently focused attention on the training techniques used in successful
soccer powerhouses such as Brazil, Holland, Germany, France, and Italy. Futsal has been around for many years but
interest is just starting to explode in the United States.
History of the Game
Futsal is a variant of soccer that is played on a smaller field (courtin futsal terms) and mostoften played indoors.Its name is derived
from the Portuguese,futebol de salão and the Spanish,fútbol de salón (colloquiallyfútbol sala),which can be translated as "hall
football"or "indoor football". During the sport’s second world championships held in Madrid in 1985, the name fútbol de saló n was used.
Since then, all other names have been officially and internationallychanged to futs al.
The origins offutsal can be traced back to Uruguay in 1930,where amid the euphoria that greeted the country’s victory at th e inaugural
FIFA World Cup on home soil,there was a football being kicked on every streetcorner in their capital, Montevide o.
Juan Carlos Ceriani,an Argentinean physical education instructor living there at the time, observed manyyoungsters practici ng football
on basketball courts owing to the shortage of football pitches. It was there and then that the idea for a five-a-side variation came about.

3. Borrowing from the rules ofwater polo, handball and basketball,Ceriani drew up the original rules ofgame,which were quick ly adopted
across South America. It became especiallypopular in Brazil, where a similar form ofstreetsoccer had already caught on. Rules for
the new sportwere firstpublished in Brazil in 1936
In 1965, the Confederacion Sudamericana de Futbol de Salon (South American Futsal Confederation) was formed,consisting of
Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. That same year,the first international competition took place,with Paraguaywinning.
Six more South American Cups were held through 1979,with Brazil winning all of them.
The sportspread across South America,and its popularity ensured thata governing body was formed under the name of FIFUSA
(Federación Internacional de Fútbol de Salón) in 1971. The members atthat time were, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Protugal,
Uruguay and Argentina.
Futsal crossed the Atlantic to Europe along with the many Spanish and Portuguese immigrants returning from South America at that
time.The continued growth in the sportthen led to the foundation of FIFUSA, the Federacion Internacional de Futbol de Salon
(International Futsal Federation),comprising of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay.
The first Futsal World Championship conducted under the FIFUSA was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1982, with Brazil finishing in first
place. The Brazilians repeated as champions atthe second World Championship in 1985 in Spain,but lostin the third World
Championship in 1988 in Australia to Paraguay.
FIFA took control of the World Championships in 1989. Under new rules made byFIFA, the technical aspects ofthe game for players
and spectators were improved. The linesmen were replaced with a second referee,and there were unlimited substitutions. It also
introduced a size 4 football,which was weighted to reduce bounce by 30% compared to a conventional ball. The new ball enabled
faster play and,for the firsttime, scoring goals with the head was introduced.
FIFA’s participation allowed more countries to gain knowledge and resources aboutfutsal. FIFA soon began to administer its own
indoor football games,hosting its firstFIFA Indoor Soccer World Championship in 1989 in Rotterdam,Netherlands.With Brazil crwoned
as the first World Champions. In Hong Kong, 1992, ithe Championship was called the FIFA Five-a-Side World Championship. Since
Spain of 1996, it has been called the FIFA Futsal World Championship. The Seleção also won the those Championships.
Brazilian National Team Champions
Due to the increase ofthe number ofnations that participated in the FIFA Futsal World Championships held in 2000,Brazil’s
dominance in the competition was ended. It would be the Spaniards who relieved the Brazilians of their crown, and then successfully
defending itfour years later in Chinese Taipei. In the 2008 Cup, Brazil extracted revenge on Spain. The 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup
will be played in Thailand and has expanded from 20 to 24 teams. It is now the fourth longest-running FIFA tournament.