Futsal is a ball game that is often referred to as “indoor soccer”. This game has a lot of similarities with soccer such as the basic rules which are not touching the ball, except for the goalkeeper, kicking the ball to the goal, and the free-kick ruling. However, there are also distinct differences between the two, such as court measurements and the ball used. Another distinct difference is the number of players in a team. In soccer, each team should have 11 members for gameplay.
How many players in a futsal Team? In futsal, the two opposing teams must have 5 members each including the goalkeeper in the court. The team members and their position include a target, two wingers, one defender, and one goalkeeper. Each team needs at least 3 members each in order to start the game and continue it. Up to 12 members are allowed for each team. A goalkeeper also needs to wear a uniform that is different from the other 4 players.
Substitutions
Each team can have up to nine substitutes. Unlimited substitution is allowed in futsal. This means that the team can do substitution of players at any given time but only on each team’s designated substitution zone. The substitute player can only enter the court via his team’s substitution zone once the player being substituted leaves. A substituted player can still play in the game in the latter part. The goalkeeper can also be substituted at any given time. Any substitute player can change the goalkeeper without even informing the referee about it.
Sent-Off Players
Sent-off players are players given a red card in futsal which results in them being off the court and not playing. When a player is sent off, the substitute player can enter the court in two minutes after the sent-off. However, if a substitute was sent off before the kick-off or after the start of the game, they cannot be replaced. This means the team will play with a less member. A player can be added to the team with a lesser number of players whenever the team with greater players scores a goal. On the other hand, the number of players sta the same when a team with a lesser number of players scores a goal. If both teams are playing with the same number of players and either one scored a goal, no players will be added to each team.
Conclusion
I hope this article had helped you to understand and know how many players are there in a futsal game. Always remember that the players’ position and team setup is changeable depending on each team’s tactics and strategies. There are also rules and regulations that every player needs to follow so that they won’t be set off the court and receive a penalty. In addition to that, a referee has the authority to warn, send off, evict from the stadium any players and spectators whom he feels is causing disruption in the game.
