What is Futsal?

There are a few basic differences between Futsal and outdoor soccer when it comes to soccer development.

• Small-sided games. Futsal is played with five aside (4 outfield players plus a goalkeeper) on an indoor court. The small size of the court also means the pace of the game is much faster with players experiencing more touches on the ball and repetition of movement. The smaller space also inhibits players from making long runs and holding on to the ball for too long. Constant pressure forces players to react quickly and creatively to maintain ball possession because all players – attackers and defenders – are in constant motion.
• Low bounce ball. A Futsal ball is smaller than an outdoor soccer ball and is specifically designed to be a low bounce ball. The foam-filled ball reduces bounce, keeping the ball at the feet of the players and in constant play thereby intrinsically allowing for increased movement and touches. With the ball on the ground, the players must use the feet more often for ball control and consequently they improve their passing technique.
• Faster pace – the smaller space of the court compared with an outdoor pitch, promotes a faster pace with increased repetitions and touches on the ball, improves technical ball handling to maintain ball possession amidst the constant pressure, encourages creativity to feint opponents, perfects one-touch and precision passing and increases soccer fitness due to continuous movement. 
• Playing surface. The surface of the court encourages ball control by using the sole of the foot on top of the ball. This allows a player more freedom to move the ball in either direction or hold the ball while the opponent runs past. By using the sole of the foot, the ball can more easily be pulled around to feint a player or to take a shot.
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