Futsal is a variant of normal outdoor soccer played on a hard court, smaller than a normal soccer pitch, and mainly indoors. It can be considered a version of five-a-side soccer.
Futsal is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Unlike some other forms of indoor soccer, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used. Futsal is also played with a smaller, harder ball.
The surface, ball, and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity, and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.