HISTORY OF FUTSAL

The origin of Futsal (Five-a-Side Soccer) can be traced back to Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930 when Juan Carlos Ceriani devised a five-a-side version of soccer for youth competion in YMCAs.  The game is played on basketball-sized courts, both indoors and out without the use of sidewalls. 

The game is frequently referred to as Five-A-Side or Mini-soccer. Once Ceriani got the ball rolling, Futsal gained rapid popularity throughout South America, particularly in Brazil.  The skill developed in this game is visible in the world-famous style the Brazilians display outdoors on the full-sized field.  Pele, Zico, Socrates, Bebeto and other Brazilian superstars developed their skill playing Futsal. While Brazil continues to be the Futsal hub of the world, the game is now played, under the auspices of FIFA, all over the world, from Europe to North and Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Asia and Oceania. 

U.S. Futsal was founded in 1981 and incorporated in January, 1983.  Osvaldo Garcia was it’s first president.  The game is referred to as Minisoccer,  five-a-side soccer, Futbol Sala or Futebol de Salao, but it is also widly refereed by it trademark name, Futsal.  The current U.S. Futsal president is Alex J.C. Para. 

The first international Futsal match played by the U.S. Futsal National Team was in May 1984 in Nanaimo, Canada, and the United States won 6-5.  The first international Futsal match in the United States was held in December, 1985, at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California.  The U.S. select team, defeated Australia, 9-5. 

U.S. Futsal has conducted a National Championship each year since 1985.  Futsal is establishing itself at the youth level in the U.S.  The Boys and Girls Clubs of America took a strong interest after the Columbia Park Club in San Francisco asked U.S. Futsal to give a demonstration.  The national organization adopted the sport, and it is now played at about 1,100 Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the U.S.  The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) also plays the sport in a close working relationship with U.S. Futsal since 1988. 

The U.S. Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and U.S. Futsal signed an agreement in August of 1995 and in 1999, to promote futsal in all their National State Association as their game of choice for indoor soccer under the auspices of U.S. Futsal.