In countries like Spain, Brasil, Portugal and Italy, futsal is a legitimate career path.

Here in oz, it's mostly played in the outdoor off-season.

Will it ever be a 'mainstream' or 'legitimate' (i mean professional, futsal only sportsmen and women) sport?

i think it could only be as popular (in terms of tv coverage and professionalism) as netball is now. That is, part time contracts etc

futsal is on its way i believe
theres been an increase of popularity in street football and freestyle lately... i think it would be cool if some of the major companies like nike promoted street football abit more down here in australia =)

the brazilian natioanl futsal comp is unreal...they make more than a living out of it over there..there is quite a lot of money in futsal in other parts of the world..

No not "mainstream" i would love it to be but i dont think it will, it is a brilliant sport, takes alot of skill and fitness but i dont think it will be a "mainstream" sport in Australia

I'd like to see it gain some real popularity in oz. If people here take to basketball then i cant see why futsal can't get similar recognition given that futsal uses similar resources to basketball (ie indoor sporting complexes).

The following needs to happen:

1. Sporting complexes to outlaw other versions of indoor soccer (egs ball bouncing off the wall, using an oversized tennis ball, playing on astro turf) and get behind the FIFA approved version, and,
2. Unlike its predecesors, the FFA needs to get behind the growth of the sport in oz. Funding national team trips overseas and admittance of oz into the AFC is a good start, but things like the creation of a national competition and campaigning a true futsal season in oz (during the summer would be great to prevent players who also play football from getting burnout) would be good also.

Yes, I think one day futsal could be bigger than the NRL, AFL and Super 14's.

Moron. #-o

Geez, steady on Saudi. You ever played futsal?

NO! It causes too many injuries and its a proven fact that it damages your knees

oh and 'main stream sport'

hahahha your a joke

sxc, back to grammar class for you.

Mainstream (not the main trickle of water you suggest), You're (short for 'you are').

playa - please...

Saudi, I ask whether or not it will surpass these sports you mentioned...seems a lot of the people that ruined twg forum are coming over here in droves!

i doubt it will. around where i live most of the futsal places still play with oversized tennis balls and all that kinda bullshit

When the ABS statistics talk about indoor soccer do you only mean Futsal or all varieties?

I think from the last census 'indoor soocer' was the eighth largest sport in Australia.

That is indoor soccer you are referring to.

Where i play (Girraween Indoor) they used to use those ridiculous oversized tennisballs that bounce way to much. It was impossible to hold onto possesion with it bouncing around everywhere. But last season they changed to proper futsal balls and it is alot better now.

Well futsal is a a variation of football, so it will probably never be popular worldwide as its big brother - football. Those who do follow football in the countries you listed are very passionate and one could say obsessed about the game.

Only once football becomes a national obsession, similar to that of Brazil might futsal become a 'mainstream' sport, this however is at least 10 years away.

My friend went away to Brazil last year to play Futsal. He said they are Futsal crazy over there. They had 10,000 fans watching their games. My friend was actually red carded in one of those games and had to be escorted out of the venue because the fans where throwing objects at him. Very passionate fans as you can see.

Asit is mentioned by Fozzie on SBS so many bloody times, in brazil the kids play futsal until they reach a certain age and then start playing outdoor. It ingrains a learning process whereby the kids learn the ballskills and problem solving, and then take these into competitive play on the field.

Couldnt see this happen in oz though, but an endorsement by the FFA for football in the winter and then futsal in the summer would be good.

i would love for futsal to succeed in this country.
wonder how many people know that nick carle, leo carle, alex brosque are all from a futsal
background.

not to mention great players worldwide like ronaldinho, even zidane played.

its tough on the ankles as much as you make it to be, however sore ankles is better than a bashed up body week in week out in league or afl.

The only way futsal will receive recognition is if it becomes an olympic sport, until then the little men who love the sport will continue to run comps across Oz.
in NSW futsal has about 20 different associations so it is definetly having a nice growth period in NSW, ACT also has several competions running which are very competitive.