Courtesy: Welsh FA Web Site


FAW to run National Futsal League

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has today announced plans for the launch of a National Futsal League to kick off in October 2013.

The application process is now open to tender offering the opportunity for clubs to become one of the eight teams selected to compete in the inaugural FAW Futsal League.

Futsal - the official form of five a side recognised by FIFA, UEFA, and the FAW - has been developing in Wales over the last 3 years and is now in a position to establish a senior national league. Any existing or new club from Wales is eligible to apply and demonstrate they have the structures in place as the Association aims to establish eight elite Futsal clubs. The selected clubs will need to demonstrate they are well equipped for the league meeting the set criteria which includes qualified coaches, administration, financial support, marketing and communication as well as a large player base to select from. With only eight clubs available for selection, it is hoped that all areas of Wales will be represented.

A north and south conference will commence in October and culminate in March with the conference winners and runners progressing to the National League Play Offs to decide the Futsal champions of Wales. The eight clubs selected will automatically be entered into the FAW Futsal Cup which will now enter its fourth season where the winning team progresses to play in Europe and the UEFA Futsal Cup.

FAW Head of Competitions Andrew Howard commented; “Wales has only been on UEFA’s Futsal Map for three years and in that time we have made fast strides forward.
We have completed three National Cups and have three different names on the Trophy. We also have an International team, so the new National League will certainly complement that. Going forward.”

Whilst Futsal is still relatively new in Wales the game has been supporting the development of players in Wales for the past few seasons now gradually developing at a senior level. Many junior league players now play Futsal during the season as part of a winter break when football fixtures can be severely interrupted. Wrexham Futsal Club recently defeated holders Cardiff City Futsal Club to lift the FAW Futsal Cup and in January the Wales National Futsal squad played in its first UEFA Futsal EURO qualifying tournament.

A FIFA technical report from the 2012 Futsal World Cup recommended that for Futsal to develop associations must have coach and referee education, youth development structures and a senior national league structure. Futsal Development Officer for the Welsh Football Trust Richard Gunney added “This is an extremely exciting opportunity and progression for Futsal in Wales. The league is another vital piece of the jigsaw as we establish solid structures for Futsal to support welsh football. I am delighted that we have thousands of boys and girls in Wales at the grassroots playing Futsal as part of their development, we have a coaching and referee courses in place and now with a national league we have a senior pathway progressing”.

Clubs must apply by completing a league licence application with a deadline date for all applications of 5pm Monday 15th July 2013. Following feedback from the FAW clubs can make amendments to the application before the final deadline of 5pm 2nd August 2013. Successful clubs awarded the licence will be informed in August 2013.
The FAW Futsal league will officially launch and kick off at the end of October 2013. FAW Futsal League Licence Applications must be submitted electronically using the document template provided to AHoward@faw.co.uk .







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