You’ll find most of what you need to know about futsal in this handout.  It is recommended that you make copies of this handout or encourage you players and parents to go to the website and print it, so that all will be familiar with the rules.

You will see that Futsal is a fast-paced game that is fun to play and will help players to improve their skills.  Super F League’s goal is to help the players develop, while they are having fun competing.

Below are the major differences between Soccer rules and futsal rules.  If the rule is not addressed below, you can assume that the laws of play are the same as outdoor.

There are 4 field players and a Goal Keeper (GK).

No offside.

GK can only handle the ball (by feet or hands) for 4 seconds in their own half.  If they are in opponents half, they have no time-handling restrictions.

24 minute halves for tournament and for league play.  3 minutes for half time and each coach may call (1) one-minute time out per half when in possession of the ball.  Time out requests are made to the referee.

Substitutions

Free substitutions are made “on the fly”.  Player can only enter or leave the game in the substitution areas marked by their respective benches, and a player may only enter a game after the player they are replacing has left the field.  Failure to do so results in a caution and an indirect free kick is taken from where the ball was situated when the game was stopped to caution the player.

Kick off

Opposing players must give 5 yards until ball is in play.

 
Kick in

A ball kicked out over the touch line (side line) by one team becomes the other teams ball. The team kicking in has 4 seconds to get the ball back in play or it becomes opponent’s kick in.  Defense must give 5 yards distance. The referee will give a visual count with his hand.  Players taking kick in can not step into the field while kicking ball back into play. Goals cannot be scored from kick-ins.

If the ball hits the ceiling, a kick in is taken at the closest point on the nearest touchline, running parallel to the goal line.

Goal Clearance

Futsal for goal kick.  When the offensive team puts the ball over the end line, the other team gets the ball.  The goalie must throw the ball within 4 seconds of retrieving it and put it back into play by throwing it.  The throw must leave the penalty area, but it must touch the ground on the GK’s half of the field (can’t throw ball past half-line).  Opposing team must stay out of penalty area during a goal clearance.   If opposing players touches ball before it leaves penalty area, GK retakes the throw.  The GK cannot touch ball again until another player touches it.

Corner Kick

There is no arc, kick is taken at the point where goal line and touch line meet (at corner).

Fouls

Slide tackling is a major foul in futsal.  It is not allowed in any situation where there is contact between players or where referees believe that contact could have resulted.

Exceptions

The GK is allowed to slide in an attempt to clear the ball, if in referees’ judgment, his slide is an attempt only to make contact with the ball, not the opponent.  If GK slid is reckless (a foot in air, a hook, rolling tackle) it is a foul and possibly a  cardable offense.  A field player may slide in instances where there is not an opponent close by and no injury is likely to occur. This would most likely happen when a player is attempting to stop the ball from going out of bound or an offensive player sliding to knock the ball into the goal where the is not other defensive player close to the play. Players and coaches should use this general rule, if you slide tackle near a player, assume if will be called a major penalty.

6^th Accumulated Foul

Upon a team’s 6^th accumulated foul in each half, the defending team cannot build a wall to block the kick. The player taking the kick must be clearly identified and the player taking the kick must make an attempt at the goal.

Accumulated Fouls resulting in Direct Kick

- Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
- Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
- Jumping at an opponent
- Charges an opponent
- Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
- Pushes an opponent
- Holding an opponent
- Spits at an opponent
- Slide tackles with exceptions above

Sending Off Fouls

Handling the ball deliberately, except for GK in their area. 
Denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving toward the goal. Player sent off cannot r-enter the game.  Substitution is allowed after 2 minutes.
No shoulder charging.

Indirect Free Kick

5 yards of distance from kicker to set up wall, and ball is in play after it has been touched.  If the kicking team takes more time than 4 seconds to take the kick, it becomes the opposition’s indirect kick.