Their vibrant, action packed and state of the art Arenas are drastically enhancing the way that we experience 5-a-side football, and teaching players of all abilities that Futsal is truly the way forward.
Speaking about their forthcoming launch in Oldham, CEO Frank Rodriguez had this to say: "Sport is essential for the health of our communities and we chose Oldham for our regional north west hub because it's a bustling and active area that we felt would embrace the Futsal game. There is a revolution happening here in England in the way that small sided football is played, and Futsal as the global standard is the future. It's fantastic to see the UK starting to buzz about the game." Rodriguez continues, "We want to see schools, colleges, businesses, football clubs of all descriptions and groups of friends getting involved."
In particular, Futsal is of huge benefit to junior footballers. For a start, it features the use of a regulation size 4 ball as opposed to an adult size 5. On top of this, the ball is engineered with 30% reduced bounce, meaning that it substantially improves close control, first touch, composure and technique.
@Futsal Group are the UK's market leaders when it comes to providing an authentic Futsal experience. Futsal is the only form of small sided football to be officially endorsed by FIFA,
UEFA and The FA, and is reported to be the fastest growing indoor sport on the planet.
Secondly, the game is Futsal is very similar to normal 11-a-side, but with a few slight modifications to suit the indoor game. This includes touchlines instead of barriers, no height restrictions and most importantly unrestricted penalty areas, meaning that all players can enter and indeed score from inside the area.
Thirdly, the nets are a scaled down version of 11-a-side nets, meaning that goalkeepers have more experience of framing their goal and strikers have a more realistic target to aim at. And finally, the continuity of the game - bolstered by a 4 second rule for when the ball is reintroduced into play - means that their sharpness, speed of thought and tactical awareness is developed at a much quicker rate.
The key statistic when looking at Futsal as a development tool is that compared to a study of standard 5-a-side football games involving walled barriers, Futsal players on average receive 210% more touches of the ball.
Working closely with The FA, The Premier League, The Football League, English Colleges Futsal and other leading institutions, @Futsal deliver a pioneering and flagship Education programme in direct partnership with The Football League Trust. Their Sports courses, starting with BTEC Level 1, aim to utilise the game's potential in developing talent not only on the pitch but off it as well.
It's clear that Futsal is radically affecting our footballing landscape, even if most aren't aware of it just yet. But when Derby County's bright young star Will Hughes - currently being watched by several Premier League clubs including Arsenal - personally cites Futsal as being key to his development so far, maybe a repeat of '66 isn't too far away after all...
To find out more about @Futsal Group and to see how your team can be involved in the game of Futsal, visit futsaluk.net or visit one of the following social media channels.