What is Futsal? What Can Soccer Players Learn from It?

Apr 29, 2025 | Backyard Courts, Futsal, Indoor Courts, SnapSports

If your family enjoys soccer, a futsal court in your backyard is a great way to help everyone improve their skills.

What is futsal? It is a form of soccer that is played on a smaller, hard court. While it is usually played indoors, Grand Slam Courts builds both indoor and outdoor futsal courts using modular tile products from SnapSports. SnapSports is the Official Sports Flooring of U.S. Futsal.

Because of the smaller, hard-surfaced court, futsal is a faster, more intense game than soccer. It promotes technical ball control and tactical awareness. Futsal players must display speed and agility, as well as quick reflexes. There are only five players on a futsal team, and it is played with a smaller, heavier ball.

Futsal originated in Uruguay in the 1930s. Juan Carlos Ceriani is credited with creating the game with rules influenced by basketball, handball, and water polo. It quickly spread throughout South America. FIFA took over as the governing body for the sport in 1989, and the first Futsal World Cup was held in 1991.

Many professional soccer players credit futsal with helping them develop their soccer skills. The recognized benefits of futsal include:

Skill Development: Improves ball control, passing, and decision-making skills in a confined space.
Agility and Quickness: Requires quick reflexes and rapid movement.
Tactical Awareness: Promotes quick thinking and understanding of the game.
Player Development: Can be a valuable tool for coaches to develop players’ technical and tactical skills.

“At U.S. Futsal, providing a top-tier playing experience has always been our priority. We chose SnapSports Sports Flooring for its unmatched performance, safety, and durability. SnapSports delivers traditional courts’ speed and responsiveness while offering superior ‘Shock Absorption’* to protect our athletes. Simply put, SnapSports helps us deliver the high standards the futsal community expects.”