Players, Substitutions and the Bench

A team has at most five players on the court, and one of them must be the goalkeeper; every other position is a tactical choice.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · recall

Three on the court is the floor for both sides; drop below it and the game cannot begin or go on.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · recall

Once a team has fewer than three players, whether through send-offs or injury, the match is abandoned.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · applied

Only players and substitutes named on the official team list before the match may take part; anyone else is an outside agent.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.2 · applied

The cap of five names a total headcount, not five outfielders plus a keeper, so whoever is guarding the goal uses up one of the five places.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · recall

If a team has too many players on the court, play is stopped, the extra person leaves and is cautioned, and play restarts with an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.9 · applied

Nine named substitutes is the ceiling for official competition; other matches may use more if the teams agree beforehand and the referee is informed.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.2 · applied

Only a set number of team officials, named beforehand, may sit in the technical area with the substitutes; the number is fixed by the competition rules.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

Any of the team's players may take over in goal; the new goalkeeper must wear colours that set him apart from the others and the officials.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.4 · applied

Only the goalkeeper may handle the ball, and only inside his own penalty area; outside it he is treated like any other player.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · recall

Futsal uses rolling substitutions: any number of them, made while the ball is in or out of play, and a player who has been substituted may come back on.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

There is no rule tying the two players to one exact point; both may cross anywhere within the zone's five-metre width.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

The substitute may only enter after the player being replaced has completely left the court, and he must enter through the substitution zone.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

Substitutions may be made whether the ball is in play or out of play; the restriction is on where players enter and leave, not on the moment.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

A player who has been substituted may come back onto the court later as a substitute himself; there is no rule keeping him off for the rest of the match.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

Rolling substitutions do not interrupt play; a change can be made as a restart is being taken, as long as players use the substitution zone.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

The incoming player waits until the outgoing player has left, so the team is never briefly six on the court during the change.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

Entering before the other player has left is an improper substitution: play is stopped, the player is cautioned, and the restart is an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.9 · applied

Both players in a change must use the team's own substitution zone; leaving over the touch line elsewhere is an infringement, cautioned like any improper substitution.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.9 · applied

Play restarts with an indirect free kick to the opposing team from where the ball was when play stopped; if that is inside the penalty area, it is taken from the six-metre line.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.9 · recall

Any player may change places with the goalkeeper, but only when play is stopped and only after the referee has been informed.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.4 · recall

A goalkeeper change made during play, or without the referee knowing, is an infringement; the Law requires both a stoppage and prior notice.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.4 · applied

Swapping the goalkeeper for an outfield player lets a team attack five against four; the goalkeeper plays as a normal outfielder and keeps no handling rights away from his area.

Source: General futsal · recall

The flying goalkeeper is a tactic, not a Law of its own; it relies on the ordinary rules for changing the goalkeeper and making substitutions.

Source: General futsal · applied

With the goalkeeper committed upfield, a turnover leaves the net empty; the opposition can score from distance before he recovers, which is the price of the extra attacker.

Source: General futsal · applied

A player taking over in goal must wear colours distinguishing him from the outfield players, the opponents and the officials, just like any goalkeeper.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.4 · recall

The goalkeeper is not confined to any zone; he may move and play the ball anywhere, and often does so as a spare man in attack.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3 · applied

A goalkeeper who controls the ball in his own half may not keep it for more than four seconds whether he uses hands or feet; exceeding that is an indirect free kick to the opponents.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 12 · applied

There is nothing in the Laws against scoring from long range in open play; a clearance that beats the unguarded net is a legitimate goal.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 10 · applied

When the change is noticed with the ball already out of play, the players are corrected and play resumes with the restart appropriate to why it stopped; a caution may still be given.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.9 · recall

Substitutes and the named team officials occupy the bench in the technical area on their team's side of the court, behind the touch line.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 1.4 · recall

The senior team official present, normally the head coach, is responsible for the behaviour of everyone in the technical area.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

Team officials may give instructions but must remain within the bounds of the technical area; one who will not stay inside it can be warned and then dismissed.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

A team official guilty of misconduct is shown a yellow or red card; if the offender cannot be identified, the senior official in the technical area receives it.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 12 · applied

The Laws leave the maximum number of substitutes and officials on the bench to the competition rules, which vary by tournament.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · recall

Substitutes and substituted players are subject to the same cautions and send-offs as players on the court; misconduct on the bench is punished in the same way.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 12 · applied

An official sent from the technical area takes no further part and is not replaced; the team continues with the officials it has left.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

A team official is any non-player named on the team list, such as a coach, fitness or medical staff; they occupy the technical area but take no part in play.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3 · recall

Futsal does not cap how many officials may instruct at once, but everyone in the technical area must behave responsibly; conduct that is provocative or disruptive is punished.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.3 · applied

Extra time is a continuation of the match; substitutes and officials remain available under the same conditions, though no timeout may be taken.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 7 · recall

After a send-off the team is reduced by one for two minutes of playing time, timed by the timekeeper, before a substitute may take the sent-off player's place.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · recall

If the team with more players scores while the other is short, the short-handed team may immediately restore its numbers; the remaining reduction time is cancelled.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · applied

The reduction ends early only when the team with more players scores; a goal by the short-handed team leaves the two minutes running.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · applied

The timekeeper counts the two minutes in playing time, stopping the count whenever the match clock stops, so it is not two minutes on the wall.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · recall

A dismissal before the whistle for kick-off simply costs the team that player; one of the named substitutes steps straight into his spot, so five still line up.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.7 · applied

A player who is sent off must leave the vicinity of the court and the technical area; he does not sit on the bench.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 12 · recall

Each send-off brings its own two-minute reduction, timed separately, so the team is two players short until the first period expires or the opponents score against it.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · applied

While a team is short by two, a goal by the fuller team lets one player return; a further goal lets the next return, one for each concession.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · applied

If the two minutes have not run out when the period ends, the remainder is served at the start of the next period; the reduction is not cancelled by half-time.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.8 · recall

A team must have at least three players on the court; a send-off that would reduce it below three ends the match.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 3.1 · applied