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FUTSAL BALLS – HOW DOES AN INDOOR BALL DIFFER FROM A TRADITIONAL ONE?
2023-11-16
Futsal, or indoor football, does not match the popularity of classic football, but provides just as much excitement. Many players are keen to move indoors after the outdoor season so that they can train their skills whatever the weather. The specifics of futsal, however, require slightly different equipment. What are the characteristics of indoor balls? How do they differ from those for classic football? Check it out!
FUTSAL VS. FOOTBALL
Apparently, classic and indoor football look similar, but differ in several important details. Firstly, the playing field in futsal is much smaller. This means that players run over shorter distances, but have to be more dynamic. Only five players from each team are on the pitch at once. In indoor football, the length of the game is also shorter – it is divided into halves, each lasting 20 minutes. However, time is stopped when the ball is out of play. For this reason, the pace of play in futsal is faster and there is no way to slow it down on purpose. The equipment used is also completely different. The goals are 3 m wide and 2 m high. The futsal balls are also very different from those used on turf.
INDOOR FOOTBALLS – HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM CLASSIC FOOTBALLS?
Indoor footballs are actually very different from the balls used for classic football. The main differences are:
• indoor footballs are, above all, smaller and lighter – allowing for more comfortable and safer indoor play;
• they contain an extra layer of foam – which protects the ball from punctures during pumping or dynamic play;
• they are equipped with an air retention system – which avoids frequent pumping of the ball during play;
• they have less air inside – so they are not as hard and bouncy as classic footballs, and therefore do not bounce too much off the floor or walls of the arena.
In addition, they come in several sizes – with their weight and diameter matched to the arena. Special training futsal balls have a customised butyl inner tube and are designed to be easier to handle. As a result, they help in the effective implementation of exercises.
FUTSAL BALLS – HOW TO CHOOSE?
The workmanship and size of the ball are important for the comfort of the game and the precision of the passes or strikes. So how do you choose the right futsal ball? Above all, it is worth betting on high quality workmanship. The FIFA mark on the ball is a guarantee of its quality. It means that the equipment meets the requirements of the International Federation of Football, which has been confirmed by tests. High-quality balls are also usually hand-stitched. If you can't find information about the way the product is sewn or the FIFA recommendation when choosing a product, you're better off not buying. It is also worth knowing that glued balls, although cheaper than sewn balls, are much less durable. This is why their purchase is considered uneconomic.
Another issue is size. The most commonly used futsal balls are size 4. They weigh between 400 and 440 g and are 62-64 cm in circumference. It is also worth paying attention to the aforementioned inflation level – an over-inflated indoor football will bounce too much. In addition, this factor affects the length of the flight, which is important when playing in a confined space. Training futsal balls are often described as low bounce balls. They are even less inflated, so bounces are dampened and ball control is easier.
What else could be important? When playing at a higher tier, the so-called roundness level of the ball is also very important. The greater the number of panels the ball is made up of, the rounder it is. This is why balls made of 32 panels are most commonly used in professional competitions.
PROVEN FUTSAL BALLS – CHECK OUT SPORT TRANSFER'S RANGE
Looking for futsal balls? Check out our range. We supply high-quality sewn balls – both training low bounce balls and FIFA-approved match balls. We supply sports teams and facilities, as well as schools – not only with indoor footballs, but also with other professional sports equipment from a wide range of disciplines. Order now!