about Mill CITY FUTSAL
For young athletes passionate about soccer, futsal is the perfect game to elevate their talents in a supportive and competitive environment, making it the ideal sport for personal development and growth. We are designed to complement, not compete with, club soccer.
Announcement: Summer Academy begins May 19
What is Futsal?
In 1930, Juan Carlos Ceriani created futsal in Montevideo, Uruguay, as a way to play soccer indoors during harsh winters. The name “futsal” comes from the Spanish fútbol sala or Portuguese futebol de salão, meaning “soccer in the room” or “indoor football.” It quickly spread across South America, especially in Brazil, where it helped develop the skills of legends like Pelé and Ronaldinho. Today, futsal is played worldwide, with professional leagues and international tournaments like the FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Futsal is played on a 40×20-meter hard court with two teams of five players each, including a goalkeeper. The ball is smaller and heavier than a soccer ball, designed to stay low and controlled. The match runs for two 20-minute halves with the clock stopping when the ball is out of play, eliminating time-wasting. Substitutions are unlimited and done on the fly with players darting in and out without breaking the game’s rhythm. When the ball goes out of bounds, players have four seconds to restart play from a kick-in. Fouls are tightly policed—each team gets just five per half before granting the opposition a direct free kick from 10 meters out, or closer if the foul happens near the goal.
It’s a game where space is scarce, and every rule sharpens the focus on skill and quick decisions. Futsal is known for emphasizing skill, quick thinking, and ball control due to the limited space, laws of the game, and fast pace.
Philosophy & Pedagogy
How does one learn to be a skilled player? How does that affect how you coach? The key question that skill acquisition research helps you to answer is: what is the best way to practice? Check out our blog to read more about how our USYF certified coaches utilize skill acquisition research to inform practice design and implementation.
Why Play Futsal?
“In futsal, you see whether a player is really talented. With futsal, you notice the small details in quality, class, and tactical understanding.” – Xavi
“Futsal requires you to think and play fast. It makes everything easier when you later switch to football.” – Pele
“As a little boy in Argentina, I played futsal on the streets and for my club. It was tremendous fun, and it really helped me become who I am today.” – Messi
“During my childhood in Portugal, all we played was futsal. The small playing area helped my close control, and whenever I played futsal, I felt free. If it wasn’t for futsal, I wouldn’t be the player I am today.” – Cristiano Ronaldo
Club Partners
