I’m sure many of you have heard of ‘futsal’ before. You might play it yourself, or you might know someone who does. Futsal has been the new craze for quite some time now. Heck, a movie was even made about it! If you’ve watched the local production ‘Gol & Gincu’ before, you would know what I mean.

Futsal fever is currently encapsulating most of the globe but it owes a great deal of it’s success and all of it’s appeal to the streets and playgrounds of South America were the game was first conceived. Futsal is therefore an indoor version of football and is the only small sided game sanctioned by FIFA.

In futsal, there are five players to a team, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Each team may have a number of substitutes. Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the field is delimited by lines, and not nets or boards that players can use to redirect the ball. Futsal is played with a size 3 or size 4 ball, which is slightly heavier and smaller than the size 5 ball used in football. This is the game that outdoor soccer players around the globe play when they are indoors to refine and maintain their control skills and touch. Futsal is superior to walled soccer in terms of developing better skills and technique because players are playing the same quality control game that is required for success in the outdoor game.

Futsal is a game for both males and females. When the game was first popular in Malaysia, it was mainly dominated by males as it was with football. But now the tables have turned. Many females are opening up to the idea of futsal and if you happen to drop by a futsal court, you would see as many females players as there are males players. In KL, futsal is known as a social sport. This is because almost anybody can play futsal. There are no restrictions as to who can play the game. A team of 5 can be made up of both male and female players. It’s a great way to mingle, build up teamwork and later get to know each other over a mamak session.

Now if you’re interested to try the game out instead of just drooling over players on the English Premier League, here are a few venues in KL and PJ where you can have good ol’ futsal fun.

Futsal In PJ

Name: Pan Global Club
Area: Jalan Tandang
Off-Peak Rate: RM 100
Peak Rate: RM 120

Name: Sports Plaza
Area: Section 13
Off-Peak Rate: RM 50
Peak Rate: RM 80

Name: Sports Barn
Area: Section 19
Off-Peak Rate: RM 85
Peak Rate: RM 85

Futsal In KL

Name: Sports Planet
Area: Ampang Point
Off-Peak Rate: RM 70
Peak Rate: RM 100

Name: Sports Village
Area: National Sports Complex
Off-Peak Rate: RM 50
Peak Rate: RM 90

Name: Insoccer Centre
Area: Bandar Baru Sri Petaling
Off-Peak Rate: RM 50
Peak Rate: RM 90

For more information, check out Gofutsal.com

Pictures courtesy of

http://www.amazon.com/Gol-Gincu-Nur-Fazura/dp/B000GYI2GY

http://www.stspyridon.nsw.edu.au/images/soccergirl.18.jpg

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