Courtesy: Prensa Latina


FIFA Inspects Possible Colombian Venues for 2016 World Futsal

Bogota, Apr 30

A delegation of the International Soccer Federation (FIFA) will arrive in this capital to inspect the five cities proposed by Colombia as World Futsal (indoor soccer) Cup venues in 2016.

The delegation is made up of Jaime Yarza and Maryann Smith, a member of the Bureau of Competition, who will visit the cities chosen by the Colombian Federation of the sport as a possible host of the event: Bogota, Cucuta, Ibague, Neiva and Villavicencio.

The final decision will be announced next May by the FIFA Executive Committee during its fourth Congress based in Mauritius.

Held every four years, the last tournament of this kind was held in Thailand in November 2012 where Colombia ranked fourth.

Indoor soccer (futsal or microfútbol) emerged in Uruguay in 1930 on the initiative of Professor Juan Carlos Ceriani who, in the absence of sufficient outdoor fields in the Uruguayan capital, decided to use indoor gymnasiums.

The sport spread throughout South America and borrowed elements and rules from basketball, handball and water polo. Currently it is played on hard ground fields with two teams of five athletes each.

In 1965, the South American Confederation of Futsal or indoor soccer was founded, the first international organization of the sport. That year the first South American team championship was also played.






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