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Rules/Regulations/Policies >> Futsal
Futsal
 What is Futsal
How did players such as Luis Figo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Robinho and Roberto Carlos develop skills that set them apart from other players? What did they do as youngsters that provided them with the basis to becoming some of the world’s best players? If you are interested in the answer then you need to learn more about a game called Futsal. Futsal is the format of Small Sided Football that is recognised and supported by FIFA and UEFA with World and European Championships for club and National Teams The name 'Futsal' simply combines the Spanish words for ‘Hall’ – Sala and ‘Football’ – Futbol into Futsal. It is a five-a-side game, played with hockey sized goals and a smaller ball with a reduced bounce. As a small-sided game players are constantly placed in situations where they must receive or play whilst under pressure or in confined spaces and it places considerable demand on technique, movement, tactical awareness and fitness Rules The official rules for Futsal – ‘The FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game’ are published by FIFA and cover all aspects of the rules that the game should be played to and the disciplinary actions that players face when they infringe on those rules. There are 18 laws in all, ranging in focus from the technical requirements of the ball and pitch through to the exact workings of the accumulated foul rule. Here, TheFA.com guides you through the laws, highlighting the basic principals of the game that make it different from any other versions of five-a-side that you might have played before:
• The pitch
Futsal is played on a marked pitch and the ball can go out of play (see illustration for dimensions and layout of pitch).
• The ball
Is a fundamental factor in making the game and is by virtue of the laws of the game required to be a smaller, heavier, ‘low bounce’ version of 11 a-side ball
• Head height
there are no restrictions (apart form the ceiling of the sports hall!) as to how high the ball can be kicked in Futsal.
• Rotating substitutions
Up to 12 players can be used in one match and there is no limit on how long a player must stay on or off the pitch. Players must enter and leave the field of play via the ‘substitution zone’ that is marked on the pitch in front of the team’s benches.
• Kick-ins
In order to restart the game after a ball has gone out of play the ball is kicked back into play from the touchline and from corners. The ball must be placed stationary on the touchline and the feet of the player taking the kick-in must not cross the line.
• The 4 second rule
For kick-ins, free kicks, goal clearances and corner kicks the player in possession of the ball has 4 seconds to restart play which the referee will count with their fingers in the air. If play isn’t restarted within four seconds an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team. The goalkeeper is not allowed to control the ball for more than 4 seconds in his own half.
• The 5m rule
Players are required to keep 5m from the player in possession of the ball on free kicks, corners, goal clearances, kick-ins and penalties.
• Goalkeepers
Goalkeepers are allowed to come out of and players are allowed to go into the penalty area. A goal clearance must be thrown out and the goalkeeper cannot touch the ball again until it has crossed into the opponents half or a member of the opposition has touched the ball.
• Accumulated fouls
Each team will be allowed to give away 5 direct free kicks in each half, then on the sixth foul a direct kick is awarded to the opposing team and the defending team is not allowed to position any players (other than the goal keeper) between the ball and the goal. The kick may be take from the 10m mark or, if the foul was committed closer to the goal than the 10m mark, then the kick may be taken from the position where the foul took place.
• Real time
A Futsal match consists of two twenty minute halfs that are played real-time which means the clock stops whenever the ball goes out of play.
• Time outs
Each team is allowed a one-minute time out in each half lasting 60 seconds.
• Sliding Tackles
Sliding tackles are not allowed in Futsal but players ARE allowed to slide on the pitch, for example to stop the ball from going out of play. For a player sliding to be considered an offence, the tackler’s opponent must have possession of the ball. Referees will not give a foul for a slide if the opponent does not have possession of the ball.
• Red Cards
If a player is sent off then the team to which the player belongs must remain with 4 players until either two minutes have passed, or the opposition have scored a goal
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