Futsal rules that are different from soccer
Futsal is five-a-side soccer on a hard court, and it has its own Laws from FIFA. The biggest differences are a kick-in instead of a throw-in, four seconds to take every restart, no offside, and a count of each team’s fouls.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Futsal rules: diagram
What the referee looks for
- Kick-in: the ball is still, on the touchline where it went out, and opponents are 5 m away.
- Four seconds: kick-ins, corner kicks, free kicks and goal clearances are taken within four seconds of the team being ready.
- The goalkeeper: no more than four seconds on the ball in their own half, with hands or feet.
- Accumulated fouls: every direct free kick foul is counted for each team in each period.
- From a team’s sixth foul in a period: a direct free kick from the 10 m mark, with no wall.
Rule: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game. FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26.
Common mix-ups
“Futsal is just indoor soccer.”
Futsal is its own game with its own Laws: touchlines instead of walls, five players a side and a smaller ball made to bounce low.
“You can score from a kick-in.”
Not directly. If a kick-in goes straight into the other goal, the other team gets a goal clearance.
“The keeper takes goal kicks.”
There are none. The goalkeeper throws or releases the ball from the penalty area. That is a goal clearance.
“Four seconds starts when the ball goes out.”
It starts when the team is ready to restart, or when the referee signals that it is.
Futsal at a glance
| Topic | Futsal rule |
|---|---|
| Players | Five a side, one of them the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions at any time, through the substitution zone. |
| Time | Two periods of 20 minutes of playing time. Youth leagues often shorten this. |
| Ball | 62 to 64 cm around and 400 to 440 g. Dropped from 2 m, it must not bounce higher than 65 cm. |
| Offside | None. |
| Penalty marks | 6 m for a penalty kick, 10 m for the free kick after a sixth foul. |
| Youth leagues | The Futsal Laws let a competition shorten the periods, and youth leagues often do. Check your league’s rules. |
These are the Laws of the Game and typical US youth standards. Your league may differ, so check its rules. Sources: IFAB Laws of the Game (current edition), U.S. Soccer small-sided standards, US Youth Soccer playing rules (December 2025) and the FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26. Checked on November 10, 2026.
Questions about futsal rules
What is the four-second rule in futsal?
A team has four seconds to take a kick-in, corner kick, free kick or goal clearance once it is ready. The goalkeeper also has only four seconds on the ball in their own half.
What are accumulated fouls in futsal?
Each direct free kick foul is added to the team’s count for that period. From the sixth, the other team gets a direct free kick with no wall, usually from the 10 m mark.
Is there offside in futsal?
No. The Futsal Laws say there is no offside.
Is a futsal ball smaller than a soccer ball?
Yes. A futsal ball is 62 to 64 cm around. A full-size soccer ball is 68 to 70 cm. The futsal ball is also made to bounce less.
Can a futsal goalkeeper score by throwing the ball?
Not by throwing. If the goalkeeper throws the ball straight into the other goal, the other team gets a goal clearance.
Lessons that go with this rule
- Kick-In: Have a Backup (Futsal lesson)Prepare two options before the restart, then use the one the defender leaves.
- Kick-In: The Third Player Runs (Futsal lesson)Use the first receiver to release a different runner instead of repeating the same touchline pass.
- Corner: Read the Cutback (Futsal lesson)Choose a corner delivery from the defender’s position, then read the next pressing movement.
- Free-Kick: Keep a Safety Player (Futsal lesson)Coordinate the restart with a player who can collect the return and protect a counterattack.
- Keeper Regain: Release Beyond the Press (Futsal lesson)After winning possession, distinguish a nearby marked outlet from a clear receiver beyond the first press.
Keep reading
- Museum: Futsal’s World CupThe history, in the History Museum (1989)
- Futsal lessons for kidsEvery futsal lesson, grouped by topic
- 2-2 futsal formationThe first futsal shape
- Goalkeeper in soccerThe one player who may use their hands
- Offside in soccer, explained for kidsLaw 11, with a diagram
- Soccer throw-in rules for kidsLaw 15, with a diagram
- All soccer rules for kids16 rules explained for kids, each with a diagram: offside, handball, throw-ins and more
- Soccer terms for kids: an A-Z glossary92 soccer words in plain English, from advantage to yellow card, 18 with a diagram
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.