FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTBALL

'Five-a-side football' is a variation of football (soccer) in which each team fields five players (four outfield players and a goalkeeper), rather than the usual eleven. Other differences from football include a smaller pitch, smaller goals, and a reduced game duration. Games are often played indoors.

Contents

Futsal

Other five-a-side games

Seven-a-side football

See also

Futsal

Main articles: Futsal

Futsal is a version of indoor five-a-side football officially sanctioned by the football world governing body Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Other five-a-side games

Five-a-side is commonly played informally, and the rules are therefore flexible and are sometimes decided immediately before play begins; this is in contrast to futsal where official laws are published by FIFA.
One common Five-a-side soccer game is called Futebol de Salão. However, this is not recognized by FIFA, and therefore isn't very well known.
Common rules are typically adopted for competitive or semi-formal five-a-side leagues or tournaments. Two of the most common rules are the "head height" rule, which states that a player cannot kick the ball above head height or the opposing team is given a free kick, the goalkeeper can catch the ball with the hands anytime (even if a same team player gives the ball back to the goalkeeper), and the semi-circular penalty area is restricted to the goalkeeper.

Seven-a-side football

This is another variation with reduced pitch and team size; in this case with six outfield players and a goalkeeper on each side. The rules generally do not differ from those of five-a-side.

See also

★ Football Mundial

★ Indoor soccer (an indoor game played primarily in North America, typically with six-a-side teams)

★ Masters football

★ Street football

★ 3v3 Soccer

★ www.alertadeporte.com - The digital newspaper of five-a-side football (Spain)