Courtesy: The News International


Futsal slowly gaining popularity in Karachi

by Syed Intikhab Ali

Saturday, January 28, 2012

KARACHI: Futsal has been gaining popularity in various parts of Karachi for the past few years, particularly Gulshan-e-Iqbal, PECHS, Gulistan-e-Johar, Defence and Clifton.

Futsal is a variant of football played on a smaller pitch, mainly indoors. It is played in 40 minutes time with two halves of 20 minutes each. The length of the ground could be 42 meters and width 18-22 meters. The goal post is also smaller than that used in normal football.

In Karachi alone, more than 50 futsal teams have been established. Various private schools have also established their futsal teams. Youngsters play futsal regularly in parks and playgrounds and organise tournaments.

But due to non supervision of PFF, the game has not been established on strong foundations in the country so far.

Ahmed Baig, who runs a futsal team in Guslahn-e-Iqbal, said that around fifty futsal tournaments have been organised in the city during the last few years in which at least a dozen teams participated. On certain occasions, more than 20 teams participated.

Baig said that most of the players of futsal are teenagers and they themselves make all arrangements to organise the tournaments.

He was optimistic that soon futsal would spread.

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has failed to establish its five-a-side futsal and beach football teams in both men and women segments despite FIFA’s strict directives to develop national beach football and futsal teams.

PFF has failed to take any step in this direction for past several years.

PFF has said that they would start beach football in the country form 2012 and the same year national beach football team would also be established.

PFF has sent two football coaches to Malaysia for training of futsal so that the game could be launched officially in Pakistan.

The Asian Football Federation has asked the PFF to establish its beach football team.

The PFF has assured AFC that they would make national level beach football team in both men and women categories.

A football lover and PSB official Akhtar Mohiuddin organised a futsal tournament in 2004 in Quetta.

He informed The News that it was a local tournament but created excitement among the footballers community, which can be gauged from the fact that 35 teams participated in the tourney.

The same year he also organised the five-a-side tournament in Islamabad. He said that it is an indoor game and according to the FIFA directives locally it could be played at an open place, but internationally it has to be played inside a gym or complex.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com