History
Futsal started in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930, when Juan Carlos Ceriani created a version of soccer for competition in YMCAs. In Brazil, this version developed on the streets of São Paulo, and, eventually, a rule book was published. The sport began to spread across South America, and its popularity ensured that a governing body was formed under the name of FIFUSA (Federación Internacional de Fútbol de Salón) in 1971, along with the World Championships. The first World Championships were held in Río de Janeiro, with hosts Brazil crowned champions ahead of Paraguay. Even more countries participated in the second World Championships held in Las Vegas in early 2000s.[3] Due to a dispute between FIFA and FIFUSA over the administration of fútbol, FIFUSA coined the word fut-sal in 1985. The United States Futsal Federation, was the first National Association to call it self "FUTSAL" (September 3, 1986- USA, California-Art of Incorporation) after taking the hyphen out of the name used by FIFUSA and had FIFA incorporate the name FUTSAL in Article 27 of it's Status in 1989.
FIFA took control of the World Championships in 1989. Under new rules made by FIFA, the technical aspects of the game for players and spectators were improved. The linesmen were replaced with a second referee, and there were unlimited substitutions.[4] It also introduced a size 4 soccer ball, which was weighted to reduce bounce by 30% compared to a conventional ball, which enabled faster play and, for the first time, scoring goals with the head.[3][5]
In 2004, members of PANAFUTSAL (La Confederación Panamericana de Futsal, The Pan-American Futsal Confederation) formed AMF (Asociación Mundial de Fútbol de Salón, World Futsal Association), an international futsal governing body independent of FIFA. Both FIFA and AMF continue to administer the game.[6]
[edit] Rules
As international governing bodies of futsal, FIFA and AMF are responsible for maintaining and promulgating the official rules of their respective versions of futsal. Like football, futsal has laws that define all aspects of the game, including what may be changed to suit local competitions and leagues. There are seventeen laws in the Futsal Laws of the Game.[7][edit] Players, equipment and officials
The kit is made up of a jersey or shirt with sleeves, shorts, socks, shinguards made out of rubber or plastic, and shoes with rubber soles. The goalkeeper is allowed to wear long trousers and a different coloured kit, to distinguish himself from the other players in the team and the referee. Jewellery is not allowed, as are other items that could be dangerous to the player wearing the effects or to other active participants.[10]
The match is controlled by a referee, who enforces the Laws of the Game, and the first referee is the only one who can abandon the match because of interference from outside the pitch. This referee is also assisted by a second referee. The decisions made by the referees are final and can only be changed if the referees think it is necessary and play has not restarted.[11] There is also a third referee and a timekeeper, who are provided with equipment to keep a record of fouls in the match. In the event of injury to the referee or second referee, the third referee will replace the second referee. [12]
[edit] The pitch
[edit] Duration and tie-breaking methods
A standard match consists of two equal periods of 20 minutes. The length of either half is extended to allow penalty kicks to be taken or a direct free kick to be taken against a team that has committed more than five fouls. The interval between the two halves cannot exceed 15 minutes.[19]In some competitions, the game cannot end in a draw, so away goals, extra time and penalties are the three methods for determining the winner after a match has been drawn. Away goals mean that if the team's score is level after playing one home and one away game, the goals scored in the away match count as double. Extra time consists of two periods of five minutes. If no winner is produced after these methods, five penalties are taken, and the team that has scored the most wins. If it is not decided after five penalties, it continues to go on with one extra penalty to each team at a time until one of them has scored more goals than the other. Unlike extra time, the goals scored in a penalty shoot-out do not count towards the goals scored throughout the match.[20]
[edit] The start and restart of play
At the beginning of the match, a coin toss is used to decide who will start the match. A kick-off is used to signal the start of play and is also used at the start of the second half and any periods of extra time. It is also used after a goal has been scored, with the other team starting the play.[21] After a temporary stoppage for any reason not mentioned in the Laws of the Game, the referee will drop the ball where the play was stopped, provided that, prior to the stoppage, the ball was in play and had not crossed either the touch lines or goal lines.[22]If the ball goes over the goal line or touchline, hits the ceiling, or the play is stopped by the referee, the ball is out of play. If it hits the ceiling of an indoor arena, play is restarted with a kick-in to the opponents of the team that last touched the ball, under the place where it hit the ceiling.[14]
[edit] Misconduct
 |  | |
Players are cautioned with a yellow card and sent off with a red card. | ||
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper clears the ball but then touches it with his hands before anyone else, if he controls the ball with his hands when it has been kicked to him by a teammate, or if he touches or controls the ball with his hands or feet in his own half for more than four seconds.[24] An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player plays in a dangerous manner, deliberately obstructs an opponent, prevents the goalkeeper from throwing the ball with his hands or anything else for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player. The indirect free kick is taken from the place where the infringement occurred.[24]
Yellow and red cards are both used in futsal. The yellow card is to caution players over their actions, and, if they get two, they are given a red card, which means they are sent off the field. A yellow card is shown if a player shows unsporting behaviour, dissent, persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game, delaying the restart of play, failing to respect the distance of the player from the ball when play is being restarted, infringement of substitution procedure or entering, re-entering and leaving the pitch without the referee's permission.[25] A player is shown the red card and sent off if they engage in serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting at another person, or denying the opposing team a goal by handling the ball (except the goalkeeper inside his penalty area). Also punishable with a red card is denying an opponent moving towards the player's goal a goalscoring opportunity by committing an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick and using offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures.[25] A player who has been sent off must leave the vicinity of the pitch. A substitute player is permitted to come on two minutes after a teammate has been sent off, unless a goal is scored before the end of the two minutes. If a team of five players scores against a team of fewer than five players, another player can be added to the team with fewer than five players. If the teams are equal when the goal is scored or if the team with fewer players scores, both teams remain with the same number of players.[26]
[edit] Ranking
[edit] Men's ranking
As of November 14, 2011, the top 25 teams according to the ELO-based rankings are:[27]| # | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spain | 1978 |
| 2 |  Brazil | 1965 |
| 3 |  Italy | 1744 |
| 4 |  Russia | 1671 |
| 5 |  Portugal | 1652 |
| 6 |  Iran | 1608 |
| 7 |  Argentina | 1549 |
| 8 |  Ukraine | 1477 |
| 9 |  Paraguay | 1396 |
| 10 |  Japan | 1383 |
| 11 |  Serbia | 1358 |
| 12 |  Thailand | 1348 |
| 13 |  Azerbaijan | 1346 |
| 14 |  Croatia | 1326 |
| 15 |  Czech Republic | 1320 |
| 16 |  Romania | 1317 |
| 17 |  Uzbekistan | 1310 |
| 18 |  Belarus | 1309 |
| 19 |  Slovenia | 1280 |
| 20 |  Netherlands | 1274 |
| 21 |  Slovakia | 1272 |
| 22 |  Guatemala | 1258 |
| 23 |  Colombia | 1251 |
| 24 |  Libya | 1248 |
| 25 |  Uruguay | 1237 |
As of October 14, 2011, the top 25 teams according to a ranking based partly on the ELO system and partly on a form-based system are:[28]
| # | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 2330 |
| 2 | Brazil | 2328 |
| 3 | Portugal | 2240 |
| 4 | Italy | 2237 |
| 5 | Russia | 2228 |
| 6 | Iran | 2210 |
| 7 | Argentina | 2191 |
| 8 | Ukraine | 2133 |
| 9 | Paraguay | 2122 |
| 10 | Colombia | 2120 |
| 11 | Uruguay | 2108 |
| 12 | Serbia | 2075 |
| 13 | Japan | 2061 |
| 14 | Azerbaijan | 2060 |
| 15 | Czech Republic | 2059 |
| 16 | Croatia | 2057 |
| 17 | Slovakia | 2035 |
| 18 | Slovenia | 2034 |
| 19 | Guatemala | 2026 |
| 20 | Netherlands | 2011 |
| 21 | Romania | 2004 |
| 22 |  United States | 2000 |
| 23 | Belarus | 1998 |
| 24 |  Hungary | 1977 |
| 25 |  Costa Rica | 1967 |
[edit] Women's ranking
As of October 14, 2011, according to a ranking based partly on the ELO system and partly on a form-based system, the top 10 teams are:[29]| # | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 2276 |
| 2 | Spain | 2173 |
| 3 | Portugal | 2110 |
| 4 | Russia | 2009 |
| 5 | Ukraine | 1981 |
| 6 | Japan | 1873 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 1853 |
| 8 | Colombia | 1850 |
| 9 |  Australia | 1827 |
| 10 | Guatemala | 1810 |
