Dulsco Futsal to make its debut this Ramadan

16 regional teams to participate in inaugural tournament

Dubai, UAE, July 11th, 2013: Corporate Futsal enthusiasts in the UAE will vie for the top honours when the Dulsco Futsal 2013 gets underway on July 18th, as part of the Ramadan sports initiatives organized by Dulsco.

Dulsco Futsal 2013 will bring together the best in football talent in the UAE, while providing the platform for regional teams to shine at a competitive level. The event will be held over three weeks at Dulsco Events Arena. The tournament is another example of Dulsco's commitment to showcase popular sports, which includes golf, cricket, football and volleyball.

“The Dulsco Futsal 2013 is an incredible opportunity for football enthusiasts to witness and applaud some of the most talented sportspersons in the region at close quarters,” said Prakash Parab, Director, Human Resource Solutions, Dulsco. “We are excited to introduce the fast and furious game of Futsal in our large list of initiatives to further encourage the region's youth and bring quality sports that can be enjoyed by everyone.”

For decades now, Futsal has been a popular and much-loved sporting discipline, especially in South America and southern Europe. By offering the convenience of smaller pitches and the ability to play the game indoors, the sport has witnessed an explosive growth in recent years. Currently, more than 150 men's national futsal teams, including the UAE, are affiliated to FIFA, the world's football governing body.

While the indoor version of football is rapidly growing in popularity elsewhere now, thanks to FIFA's patronage and the support of many leading personalities, it is in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Portugal that futsal has proved a breeding ground for some of the greats of the game. Football legends such as Lionel Messi, Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo, Juninho, Robinho, Lewis Holtby and Micah Richards have been known to credit Futsal for honing their skills.

As per the FIFA rules governing Futsal, five players are permitted on each team, with one of them being the goalkeeper. The maximum number of substitutes allowed is nine, with flying substitutions during the match. If a team has fewer than three players in the team, the match is abandoned.

Interested teams can sign up to participate in the tournament by contacting Sikandar Khan, Events Manager, Dulsco Events Arena on 050-4515627 or by emailing at sikander.khan@dulsco.ae