Futsal rules, explained
What is futsal?
Futsal is the indoor, small-sided version of football (soccer), played 5-a-side with a smaller, low-bounce ball on a hard court roughly the size of a basketball court. It is fast and technical, rewards close control and quick passing in tight spaces, and is one of the games where many top footballers first sharpened their skills.
Players and substitutions
Each team plays with 5 players: 4 outfield players and 1 goalkeeper. Substitutions are unlimited and “flying” — a player can leave and enter at any point through the substitution zone, without stopping play. Many teams use the flying goalkeeper tactic, pushing the keeper forward as an extra outfield player to create a numerical advantage in attack.
Playing time
A match is played in two 20-minute halves, but the clock stops for every interruption — the ball going out, fouls, timeouts — so a game lasts well over 40 minutes on the wall clock. Each team also gets one 1-minute timeout per half.
The 4-second rule
One of futsal's signature rules: on kick-ins, free kicks, goal clearances and corners, the player has a maximum of 4 seconds to put the ball back into play. Go over that and possession switches to the opponents. The goalkeeper is also limited to 4 seconds of holding the ball with the hands inside their own half.
Accumulated fouls — the “second penalty”
This is the rule that sets futsal apart most. Each team's fouls are counted through the half:
- 1st to 5th foul: a normal free kick, with a defensive wall allowed.
- From the 6th foul of the half onward: the opponents take a direct free kick with no wall from the 10-metre mark (or from the spot of the foul, if that is closer to goal). This is sometimes called the “second penalty”.
The foul count resets at half-time and starts again from zero in the second half.
Restarting play
- Kick-in: the ball is put back into play with the feet (a kick-in), not thrown by hand as in football's throw-in.
- Goal clearance: the goalkeeper restarts play by throwing the ball with the hands.
- Corner: taken with the feet, as in football.
- Penalty: taken from the 6-metre mark.
Futsal vs. football: key differences
| Item | Futsal | Football |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 5 | 11 |
| Offside | None | Yes |
| Substitutions | Unlimited | Limited |
| Kick-in / throw-in | With the feet | With the hands |
| Clock | Stops on interruptions | Runs continuously |
Frequently asked questions
How many players are on a futsal team?
Five per team: four outfield players and one goalkeeper, with unlimited substitutions.
How long does a futsal match last?
Two 20-minute halves with the clock stopped on every interruption, plus half-time. Each team gets one 1-minute timeout per half, so the match runs well past 40 minutes in real time.
What happens on the 6th foul in futsal?
From a team's sixth foul in a half onward, the opponents take a direct free kick with no defensive wall from the 10-metre mark — known as the “second penalty”.
Is there offside in futsal?
No. Unlike outdoor football, futsal has no offside rule.