Futsal (also known as fútbol sala) is a game played on a hard court, smaller than a soccer pitch, and mainly indoors.  It is played between two teams of five players (4+1 goalkeeper).  Futsal is also played with a smaller, harder, low-bounce ball.  While many of the rules are similar to soccer there are also numerous important differences.

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The surface, space, ball, and rules all create conditions that make ball mastery, control, and movement paramount.  The game places high amounts of emphasis on 1v1 skill, improvisation, creativity, technique, vision, intensity and concentration.  

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Futsal is its own game with a FIFA World Cup and many professional leagues around the world.  It is the only version of indoor soccer sanctioned by FIFA.  The surface, ball, and the fact that there are no walls differentiate it from traditional indoor soccer like we see in the United States.  

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While the game is different from soccer, many of the skills used in futsal are very transferable to the game of soccer.  As a result the game is used by top clubs around the world to develop their players.  Many of the greatest players in the world like Messi and Ronaldo credit futsal with their development.