FUTSAL

HISTORY
"Futsal" started in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani Gravier, a teacher in
Montevideo, Uruguay, created a version of indoor football for
recreation in YMCAs. This new sport was originally developed for
playing on basketball courts, and a rule book was published in
September 1933. His goal was to create a team game that could be
played indoor or outdoor but that was similar to football, which became
quite popular there after Uruguay won the 1930 World Cup and gold
medals in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.
Ceriani, writing the rule book, took as example the principles of football
(the possibility to touch the ball with every part of the body except for
the hands), but he took rules from other sports too: from basketball the
number of team players (five) and the game duration (40 actual
minutes); from water polo the rules about the goalkeeper; from
handball for the field and nets sizes. The result is a lively, evolved,
dynamic, active and supportive sport.
The game spread immediately throughout Latin America, developing a
cult following. It was easily played by everyone, everywhere, and in
any weather condition, even in winter, without any difficulty, helping
players to stay in shape all year round. These reasons convinced Joo
Lotufo, a Brazilian, to bring this game to his country and adapt it to the
needs of physical education.
Initially, the rules were not uniform. In 1956, the rules were modified
by Habib Maphuz and Luiz Gonzaga de Oliveira Fernandes within the
YMCA of So Paulo Brazil to allow seniors to compete. Luiz de Oliveira
wrote the "Book of Rules of Fuitsal" in 1956, then adopted also at the
international level.
In 1965 the Confederacin Sudamericana de Ftbol de Saln (South
American Futsal Confederation) was formed, consisting of Uruguay,
Paraguay, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
Shortly after, a unique tournament was organized. It attracted some
interest in South American media, which regularly began to follow
futsal. In particular, it was the journalist Jos Antnio Inglz who
passionately contributed to the rapid spread of the game, as well as
being credited as the man who coined the name futsal to define the
sport.

TERMINOLOGIES
Dribbling
This consists of kicking the ball under control to yourself while moving
down the field.
Hand ball
This is called when a player, other than goalie, touches the ball with
hand or any part of the arm intentionally.
Penalty kick
This awarded to the attacking team player when fouled inside the
penalty box while trying to score and awarded when team has an
illegal substitution.
Free kick
This is awarded to a team at the spot where a player commits a
penalty; it can be direct or indirect.
Double foul
This results in a drop ball because both teams committed fouls
simultaneously.
Goal throw
This occurs when a ball is kicked across the goal line (not in goal) last
touched by attacking team.
Corner kick
This occurs when a ball is kicked across the goal line last touched by
the defending team.
Kick-in
Results if the ball goes out of bounds; the ball is placed on the touch
line and must be kicked within 4 seconds.
Trapping
Stopping the ball with a part of your body to gain control.
DIMENSIONS OF THE COURT AND THE BALL
The length of the field is in the range of 3842 m (4246 yd), and the
width is in the range of 2025 m (2227 yd) in international matches.
For other matches, it can be 2542 m (2746 yd) in length, while the
width can be 1625 m (1727 yd), as long as the length of the longer

boundary lines (touchlines) are greater than the shorter boundaries

where the goals are placed (goal lines). The "standard" size court for
an international is 40 m 20 m (44 yd 22 yd). The ceiling must be at
least 4 m (4 yd) high. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of
each goal line. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 3 m
(3.3 yd) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported
by the goal posts must be 2 m (2.2 yd) above the ground. Nets made
of hemp, jute or nylon are attached to the back of the goalposts and
crossbar. The lower part of the nets is attached to curved tubing or
another suitable means of support. The depth of the goal is 80 cm (31
in) at the top and 1 m (3.3 ft) at the bottom.
The dimension of the ball:
Size 4, circumference 6264 cm, weight between 400-440g at the start
of the game.
Dropped from a height of 2m, the first rebound must not be lower than
50 cm or more than 65 cm.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
20-minute periods
Futsal matches comprise two periods each lasting 20 minutes of actual
playing time. The clock is stopped every time the ball goes out of play
and is restarted when play resumes.
Time outs
Teams are entitled to a one-minute time-out in each period. A team
that does not request a time-out in the first half of the match is only
entitled to one time-out during the second half. There are no time-outs
in extra time.
Unlimited substitutions
A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than five
players (a goalkeeper and four outfield players) and nine substitutes.
There is no restriction on the number of substitutions that may be
made during a match. Substitutions may be made at any time,
whether the ball is in play or not, but only in the specially demarcated
substitution zones.
Replacement of sent-off players
A substitute player may replace a sent-off player and enter the pitch
two full minutes after the sending-off. They may, however, enter the
pitch before the two minutes have elapsed should their team concede
a goal while a player down.
The goalkeepers
Goalkeepers have only four seconds in which to play the ball, with
either their hands or feet, and may not touch it again if it has been
deliberately played to them by a team-mate without an opponent
playing or touching it. Goalkeepers are also now free to play anywhere

on the pitch and throw the ball beyond the halfway line, which was not
previously permitted.
Accumulated fouls and the second penalty mark
Accumulated fouls are those penalized with a direct free-kick or
penalty kick, regardless of whether advantage has been played or not.
If a team commits a sixth accumulated foul, the opposing side may
take the subsequent free-kick awarded to them without a wall, either
from the second penalty mark, which is positioned four meters behind
the first, or from a position even closer to the penalty area if the foul
was committed between the goal line and the second penalty mark.
Two more things
Unlike 11-a-side football, goals may not be scored directly from the
kick-off in futsal and there is no offside.

EQUIPMENTS AND FACILITIES

The usual equipment are:
-Numbered shirts
-Shorts
-Socks
-Protective shin-guards
-Footwear with rubber soles
-Ball
-Goal
-Court