New funding from The FA to give players in Huntingdonshire their first taste of Futsal

Youth players in Huntingdonshire will soon be given the chance to try out Futsal for the first time thanks to funding from The Football Association (The FA).

In June, The FA made £300,000 available to County Football Associations, FA-affiliated clubs, youth and adult football leagues who wished to develop either one or two new Futsal leagues, as they ramped up efforts to encourage more people to play the sport in England.

The scheme, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, awarded grants of £1,500 to applicants per league created, with money being used towards associated costs of facility hire, equipment, referees and FA-affiliated courses.

Futsal is the UEFA and FIFA recognised format of five- a- side football but it differs from the version that we know in this country. It is played on a firm indoor pitch, with Hockey sized goals. It is played to lines rather than walls or boards and the ball differs in being slightly smaller and with a reduced bounce.

Taken together these differences lead to a game that is fast, skilful and tactical. For these reason Futsal is being adopted as a game in its own right as well as useful development experience for young footballers.

Andy Coles, Hunts FA Senior Football Development Officer, said: "The scheme offers the chance to develop new youth futsal leagues across the county, with an emphasis on creating more sustainable structures for teams to compete on a regular basis. We want to increase the opportunity for players of different ages and abilities to play futsal."