If you are new to the sport and want to learn more about the rules, you've found the perfect place.
In our last blog, we introduced Futsal and covered some general topics around the game.
This week, we want to take a more in-depth look at some of the rules of Futsal. Knowing the rule is essential for people who have an interest in playing Futsal.
Some of the basic rules and regulations of futsal include:
Played on an indoor court
Smaller, Heavier Ball (Typically Size 3 or 4)
Five Players Playing On Each Team
No offsides
No Slide Tackling
Outside of the basic rules, the average person might not know the more detailed rules of the game. There are some similar to regular 11v11 soccer, but others are completely different, and those are what we are going to be going over.
How Long Do Futsal Matches Last?
Futsal matches have two halves which are both 20 minutes. Half-time is for 10 minutes, and each team has two timeouts one in each half.
How Do Substitutions Work?
All substitutions are on the fly, this includes goalkeeping substitutions. If you aren't sure what this means think about hockey substitutions. Play is still going on while the substitutions are going on.
What is the "4-Second Rule?"
The four-second rule is enforced on every restart. On restarts like Corner Kicks, Free Kicks, and Kick-Ins(when the ball goes out of play, players kick it back in No Throw Ins), every player has four seconds to put the ball back in play. If they don't possession is given to the other team.
How Big Are The Goals?
The size of a Futsal goal is 9.8 x 6. It's a lot smaller than a normal size goal. Since it is so much smaller it's harder to score. To finish against goalkeepers shots have to be precise and powerful.
Fouls
Free-kicks and penalties generally work as in regular football. However, once a team has committed five fouls in one half, every foul after that their opponents get a free shot (direct free-kick) at goal from the second penalty mark. At half-time, both foul counts are wiped clean.
Direct-Free Kicks are given when:
Kicking/Tripping/Holding/Pushing an Opponent
Hand Ball
Shoulder Fouls
Indirect-Free Kicks are given when:
Obstruction
High Foot
Goalkeeper Picks Up Back Pass
Cards
Just like regular soccer, players are sent off for two yellow cards or a direct red and take no further part in the game.
There's one major difference. In regular soccer, once a player is sent off, teams go the rest of the game with fewer players than the other team.
After a red card in Futsal, the penalized team plays one man short for only two minutes. However, the player that was sent off cannot be used again.
Goalkeeper Rules
No goalkeeper punts are allowed, and the ball must stay below head height, otherwise, possession and a free kick will be awarded to the opposing team. Also, goalkeepers cannot maintain possession in their own half for more than 4 seconds.
Those are the two biggest differences between regular soccer and futsal. The rest of the rules for goalkeepers in Futsal and regular 11v11 are relatively the same.
We hope after reading this that you get a better understanding of Futsal. In our next blog we are going to discuss the benefits of Futsal for each soccer player, so stay tuned for that one!
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