As most readers know Australia, NZ and Pacific Islands television networks are not really known for showing Futsal regularly. With the 2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup rapidly approaching, we thought some of you may benefit from a guide on how to watch it streaming on the Internet to make up for the potential lack of live local coverage.

30/9/08 11:53PM : Check out this forum post for confirmed live and working streaming links [click here] (scroll to the bottom once you get to that page).

In a Nutshell, the following are reliable links to view live and replay Footage of the World Cup.

http://www.justin.tv/search?q=futsal&commit=Search&show-clips=true&show-events=true&show-networks=false&show-live-broadcasters=true&show-tips=true&show-offline-broadcasters=false&section=all
Previous Games : http://www.justin.tv/search?sort-by=newest&q=futsal&section=all

Previous info for this article is below :

Note : If you choose to follow this guide it is your own responsibility. If it doesn’t work for you, you may wish to read up on other methods on the net. This method is recommended for those with Broadband connections. Dialup just won’t cut it.

1. Check out the list of official Broadcasters for the Event : http://www.futsalplanet.com/FTP/files/bra08broadcast.pdf

2. Install the TVUPlayer from TVU Networks. It is a free piece of software that streams tv across the net using P2P type connnections. You can grab it from http://www.tvunetworks.com/

3. Look through the extensive channel list on TVUPlayer and choose one of the foreign stations that is broadcasting the Futsal World Cup.

4. If anyone is worried about the P2P side of it, install a copy of the free Peer Guardian to protect yourself. Its one of the better ways to protect your privacy on P2P. Grab it here : http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

Final Note : This is streaming video, so be aware it may bite into your monthly download limits depending on how much you end up watching.

If anyone has luck finding particular channels that work well, we encourage you to let others on the site know via the forums or comments below.

Additional Site if the guide above doesn’t work :

http://www.myp2p.eu - Excellent site for live sports feeds over P2P.

JogaBonito on our forums has posted some great info about viewing the World Cup. Check out JogaBonito’s post here : http://forums.futsal4all.com//viewtopic.php?f=11&t=37

JogaBonito’s Tips :

JumpTV has exclusive internet broadcast rights to FIFA world cups and will be streaming this years futsal event to all of us. Highly recommend using their services .. http://latin-america.jumptv.com/

Brazil - TV Globo (Exclusive TV) : http://globotvsports.globo.com/GloboTVS … 14,00.html

For completed game/tv schedule check http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/match%5fschedule%5f11.07.08%5f57475.pdf

I heard www.justtv.com.br is showing live games.. But i cant read brazillian !!

http://www.myp2p.eu/channel.php?&part=c … ory=sports is showing games on EuroSports 2, EuroSports UK

First games will start today at 11:30PM , Italy vs Thailand following Brazil vs Japan at 12:30PM.Try to get access to ESPN 360 via…
http://www.coolstreaming.us/search_chan … ?term=ESPN
 

The FIFA Futsal World Cup - Brazil 2008 kicks-off in less than 24 hours and the Solomon Islands Kurukuru are ready to soar! www.oceaniafootball.com presents fans of the Kurukuru with a photo gallery of action as the team prepares for its first taste of World Cup action against Cuba.

The people of the Solomon Islands will be able to enjoy every kick off the ball in Brasilia thanks to Oceania Football Confederation, FIFA, One News Television (Solomon Islands) and their affiliated broadcast partners from Australia and Fiji.

One News Television (Solomon Islands) broadcast the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup - Marseille 2008 in June this year and company CEO Dorothy Wickham expressed her thanks to FIFA and OFC for helping bring futsal to television screens across the Solomon Islands.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Solomon Islands to see their stars in action on the world stage at a FIFA event,” Wickham said.

In Kurukuru team news, it appears the talismanic Eliot Ragomo will be passed fit to play in the FIFA Futsal World Cup opener against Cuba.

Ragomo was treated for an ankle injury during the team’s build-up preparations and was considered doubtful.

SOLOMON ISLANDS vs. CUBA
BRASILIA TUESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2008

About Cuba
Cuba has appeared at three FIFA Futsal World Cup tournaments and played nine matches and has yet to record a single victory. Despite this, Cuba’s experience at the finals of FIFA Futsal events is likely to hold them in good stead for the opening match against Solomon Islands with Eduardo Morales and Fernando Chapman likely dangermen for the young Kurukuru.

Cuba finished runners-up in the CONCACAF Futsal Championship 2008 with Morales finishing as the top goalscorer.

The present Cuban squad has been together for five years and is eager to make an impact at the FIFA Futsal World Cup and record its first ever victory.

Pics from OceaniaFootball.com :
1 - Jack Wetley in possession during a training work-out
2 - Kurukuru hop to it during a ladder warm-up
3 - Fit and raring to go, Eliot Ragomo in full flight
4 - Solomon Islands Kurukuru are all smiles ahead of their FIFA Futsal World Cup debut
5 - Field of dreams - Jenan is dwarfed in the 17,000 capacity Jornalista Nilson Nelson Sports Hall

Source : Oceania Football Confederation
Published : 30/9/2008

With the soccer season barely over, players will soon have the opportunity to keep their skills sharp over the summer months but on an indoor court, with the introduction of futsal to the sporting landscape.

A five-a-side game played on a netball-sized court, futsal has a huge following overseas and has gained a strong foothold in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. And if Armidale District Football Association president Graham Parsons has his way, it will take off in northern NSW as well.

He is working on behalf of Viking, a company which administers and fosters futsal in Australia.

Parsons has conducted a number of sign-on days in Armidale and hopes to soon have a midweek competition up and running.

He also hopes to kick off other competitions across the New England and North West region, as well as schools-based tournaments.

“Futsal is a fast and exciting game, where every player on average touches the ball every 19 seconds,” he said.

“That allows all players to get involved in the game, no matter what their skill level.

“It also helps to develop skills and is especially good for young players who need to improve their skills.”

Parsons explained that Viking was helping to set up competitions and employing fulltime development officers to help grow the code in both metropolitan and regional areas.

“Futsal is the official indoor game of FIFA but it is not that well organised in Australia,” he said.

“Viking is a not-for-profit company that is addressing that situation.

“It started in Queensland but is now moving into NSW, and has 30,000 players participating in futsal across Australia.”

Parsons jumped at the opportunity when Viking approached him to get the sport off the ground in Armidale and his long-term aim is to have 100 teams playing the game in the city.

“If we can do that, Viking will employ a fulltime development officer,” he said.

“The biggest challenge is that we are competing for players with sports like basketball, indoor hockey and twilight soccer.

“But it is one of Australia’s fastest growing sports and I think once we get a few teams playing it will really take off.

“I also hope to get similar competitions going across the region.”

Parsons said futsal had an established representative structure in place, up to national level, and predicted Armidale would host the State Championships within two years.

“We have at least 10 venues in Armidale where the game can be played, meaning representative carnivals can easily be catered for,” he said.

“We already have 24 teams nominated for a schools gala day in October, which is great because the game really suits younger players.

“Getting the kids involved is also the best way for futsal to gain a foothold in the area as well.”

Anyone interested in playing futsal or setting up a local competition can contact Parsons on 0429 322 630 or phone 1800 futsal.

Source : The Northern Daily Leader
Published : 30/9/2008

One News Television of Solomon Islands will bring live, the games from the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil.
CEO of One News Television, Ms. Dorothy Wickham said that bringing the games live was part of the OFC Football Project.

According to Ms. Wickham the OFC project involves almost all Pacific television companies in highlighting local sporting events in the international level.

“With proper broadcast to the outside world, people would see how well our children are doing in sports,” says Ms. Dorothy Wickham.

She said that her company is proud to bring the Futsal games to the Solomon Islands with the help of FIFA and OFC.

She stated that there are many advantages in bringing the games live to the whole country.

According to her, it also gives an opportunity for the people of Solomon Islands to see their stars in action at the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The live coverage of the FIFA games will begin tonight.

Source : Solomon Times Online
By : Joanna Sireheti
Published : 30/9/2008

It will come as no surprise to the most mildly informed football punter that Ronaldinho is a former futsal player. Nor that so is Ronaldo. And, unless I am mistaken, so were Kaká, Robinho and Pato.

It cannot be a coincidence that men of such consummate technical ability are graduates of the indoor, five-a-side configuration of football, as are literally thousands of other Brazilian stars of the outdoor game.

My late friend, Johnny Warren, babbled on about this stuff for decades without being heard. And four years past his death he’s still not being heard, or not enough. The indoor game continues to be sidelined, like some insignificant cousin, its critical importance ignored to football’s utter detriment.

Futsal, or indoor soccer as some still call it, is a burgeoning activity in the suburbs, a great source of fun, especially at junior level, and an even greater vehicle for technical development.

It is, in effect, a long established and deep rooted mirror of what was only recently mandated nationwide to improve the level of skill among our growing young: small sided games or SSGs.

Futsal is played on small courts, five versus five, compelling players, due to lack of space, to have optimum command of the ball. Unlike on a large field, with large goals, there is no margin for error. You place a pass millimetres wide of its mark and it is bound to be intercepted by an opponent. You crack a shot at goal that wavers just slightly from its puny target between keeper and post and you will miss.

In futsal there is no option other than to have the ball completely at your command. With the ball at your feet your only options are to make a telling pass of total accuracy, take a shot that is placed rather than just driven in hope, or dribble, wiggle your bum, and make more space and time.

You can do none of these things without utter ball skills. In futsal you simply cannot win just by being stronger, bigger and by getting stuck in. Hence the conviction, Johnny Warren’s conviction, that futsal is a seriously good medium for correcting what Australian footballers distinctly lack on world comparisons: technique.

In recent times I have taken much time out to attend futsal matches. They were glorious eye openers.

In the first instance I noted that, unlike games of the outdoor variety, they are sources of utter congenial fun for all. Players run free in a quest to express themselves, jutting about, stopping and starting, running into spaces, passing and flicking, sometimes dribbling, always in a compulsion to create.

It is a wondrous spectacle so different to the mindless biff and bang that goes on the outdoor grounds where players, especially children, are asked to chase and run, and boot the bejesus out of the ball in quest of victories, with parents bellowing down their ears in the stupid belief that they become better players for hearing them.

At futsal games, in stark comparison to what happens on the suburban grass fields, there is no bellowing. Parents sit quietly, cheering only when a goal is scored or letting out an occasional ‘aahh’ when someone plays a back heel, a nutmeg or does a swivel to make space and beat a defender.

Yet the wonderful package that is futsal is being vastly undervalued in our football culture. It is time for that to change.

Futsal is not integrated in any planned or purposeful way in the broad totality of our technical structure. Futsal competitions go on, separately and largely independently of the mainstream, with no attempt to congruently enlist its virtues by football’s governing bodies.

In 2004 Futsal NSW, then an independent body running its own race, elected to come under the governance of Football NSW in the hope that the sport would gain greater legitimacy and receive some serious benefits.

There have been no benefits. Futsal players are slugged $100 per year each in registration fees, all going into the fat coffers of FNSW, but get nothing in return. This on top of the $200 or $300 they already pay if they play outdoors. FNSW has no strategy, no program that might embed futsal as a serious resource in player development. They just collect the money.

In addition, private operators run their own futsal competitions, for a profit, and act in direct competition with those under the auspices of FNSW, a parasitic activity that takes talented players away from the mainstream.

The matter has not escaped the attention of Football Federation Australia which is currently conducting a review into futsal and is due to report back early next year. One assumes, or hopes, the aim of the inquiry is to find a way in which futsal can best be made to benefit our technical development.

Also encouragingly, the AIS head coach, Jan Versleijen, is now planning to integrate futsal into the Institute’s football curriculum.

It is my view that futsal has to be an integral and critical part of the national development program.

And that means starting with aligning futsal competitions that complement the outdoor seasons.

At the moment many futsal competitions overlap the outdoor seasons or even run concurrently with them, forcing players to play both sports or choose between them. This should cease.

The futsal season should begin when the outdoor season ends and vice versa. This way players can play a form of football all year round and not be lost to other sports in the off-season.

Additionally, incentives should be built into the fee structures that encourage players to play futsal when it’s down time in the outdoor game.

In these ways futsal can begin to be genuinely integrated into our football culture and its enormous value to technical development better harnessed.

Editors Note : Check out some of the comments the article has attracted on the SBS Site, they can be seen here.

Source : The World Game (SBS)
By : Les Murray
Thanks JogaBonito for pointing out the article

Sutherland Shire Futsal Association have published a number of news reports on their first couple of rounds in Super League. They are all included below.

SSFA first home hit out - Results Round 2

The Sutherland Shire Futsal Association (SSFA) was very pleased to host Sydney Uni in round 2 of the 08 - 09 Football NSW Futsal Super League for the first time in history at Menai Indoor Sports Centre Sunday 28th September 2008.

Results of round 2 are as follows;

2.00pm KO 12 boys, SSFA 4 vs. Sydney University 2
2.45pm KO 14 boys, SSFA 7 vs. Sydney University 1
3.15pm KO 13 girls, SSFA 1 vs. Sydney University 6
4.00pm KO 16 boys, SSFA 3 vs. Sydney University 3
4.45pm KO 16 girls, SSFA 1 vs. Sydney University 12
5.15pm KO Youth Men, SSFA 0 vs. Sydney University 5
6.30pm KO All Age Women, SSFA 3 vs. Sydney University 7
7.15pm KO All Age Men, SSFA 6 vs. Sydney University 3

Source : Sutherland Shire Futsal
By : J. Simnet
Published : 28/9/2008

 

Sutherland under 12s onwards and upwards

Saturday, 27 September 2008 saw the opening round of the 2008/09 Football NSW Futsal Super League Season and the Under 12’s boys ventured to the inner-city to do battle with the Enfield Rovers at the “Roverdome” at Ashfield Boys High School.

It was obvious that there was an air of excitement amongst the squad as Coach Lee Pepper indicated that there was plenty of chatter between the boys in the change-rooms .

The squad knew that this was their first official competition game as a team representing the Sutherland Shire Futsal Association and they wanted to make sure that they made their Association proud by getting off to a good start in their first game of the season .

After a tentative first-half where the boys worked off a lot of their nervous energy and repelled many of the attacking raids of their more experienced opponents, due in large part to the brilliant goal-keeping of Christopher Marques, they came out ready to play in the second-half trailing only 1-0 . Whatever Coach Pepper said to his team at half-time obviously worked as the boys looked far more settled and comfortable in their play, showing a level of intensity and vigour which clearly announced to their opponents that they were not going to have things their own way .

The boys created plenty of scoring opportunities, but to the credit of the Rovers goal-keeper, they were prevented from converting those opportunities until a foul was called against the Rovers in the penalty area and Cameron Belle was invited to take the direct penalty shot . Under pressure, Cameron slotted it into the back of the net and it never looked like missing . 1-1 and the intensity levels of both sides lifted another notch with the ball travelling from end to end without success until an absolutely freakish strike from the left-side corner by one of the Enfield attackers saw the ball scream past the Sutherland defenders and goal-keeper, jamming into the the back of the top right-side corner of the net, such was the ferocity of the strike, with approximately 3 minutes left on the clock . 2 -1, but the Sutherland boys were not about to give-up .

The boys began to dominate, in an effort to peg back the goal, with some slick ball-movement causing the Rovers defenders and their goal-keeper plenty of headaches . With time ticking away, the boys almost levelled the score after Samuel Gulisano made a break down the right-side and put a ball through to Kyle Riggs in some space who was only prevented from claiming the equaliser by the Rovers goal-keeper who, in desperation, put his body on the line to see his team through to the final whistle .

Most of the spectators who witnessed the match felt that a draw would have been a fairer result and the boys should walk away with their heads held high in the knowledge that it took a freakish, once-in-a lifetime goal, to beat them on the day . It needed to be that good!

After the game, Coach Lee Pepper congratulated all of his squad on their first-up effort and made special mention of the excellent contributions from Addison Klem-Goode, James Pepper, Cameron Belle and Jacob Opacak, all of whom never stopped running through-out the game .

Well done to all of the boys in the squad. You did your Association and families proud in your first official hit-out .

Source : Sutherland Shire Futsal
By : J Simnet
Published : 27/9/2008

 

Sutherland under 13 Girls

Enfield Rovers FC 8 vs. Sutherland Shire FA 4. The score line is not a true reflection of how the girls played trying very hard.

But we must remember to track back in defense, and push forward in attack and look for angles, creating triangles.

It’s only early days but from watching we can only see the girls performing better when they get to know each other more. Two stand out performances in todays game was Bronte and Natalie. Keep going girls work hard for each other and the results will come.

But most of all ENJOY and have FUN.

Source : Sutherland Shire Futsal
By :  A Teal
Published : 27/9/2008

 

Match Report Under 12 Boys Sutherland vs Sydney Uni

Our first home game of the season played on the full size court at Menai Indoor Sports Centre.

The boys started well and there was some good passess happening. It didn’t take too long before we scored our first goal following excellent lead up work.

We continued to put pressure on the opposition and were a little bit unlucky when we conceeded a goal against the run of play.

Our boys kept their heads up and took charge of the game scoring 3 more goals to finish 4 - 2 winners.

Well done boys great effort.

The under 12s have the honour of being the first SSFA team to win at home in the Futsal Super League.

Source : Sutherland Shire Futsal
By : M Belle
Published : 28/9/2008

The Queensland Mens Futsal Team to contest the 2009 Vikings National Championships in Sydney was announced today with six different regions represented.

Current coach Paul Mckarzel will be joined by two-time World Cup player, Marty Calvert, in a coaching duo with Steve Tipler as the team’s manager.

Keepers :
1. Zane Frieberg (West Moreton)
2. TBA

Players:
Keenan Duimpies (Logan City)
Scott Fenn (West Moreton)
Luke Haydon (West Moreton)
Ben Hunt (West Moreton)
Renagi Ingram (East Brisbane)
Daniel Liddy (Greenbank)
Ray Mortensen (Logan City)
Danny Ngaluafe (East Brisbane)
Matthew Pope (North Brisbane)
Brett Richardson (West Moreton)

Shadow Players invited to train with team on permanent basis:
Matt Taylor (East Brisbane)
Lorenzo Romano (South Brisbane)

All players are expected to attend first training session as detailed in trial letter.

Any worries please contact Steve Tipler, Marty Calvert or Paul McKarzel.

Source : Vikings Queensland
Published : 29/9/2008

The excellent Australian Football statistics and archive site OzFootball.net has just introduced a Futsalroos section. Some great statistics are available there for anyone interested in Australia’s International Futsal fortunes over the years.

OzFootball is well worth a look for anyone involved in the outdoor game also, with a huge number of statistics going back a very long time. If you have any additional info you contribute, we highly recommend sending it through to the OzFootball team.

Notes from the Futsalroos Page :

“Welcome to OzFootball’s Futsalroo archive. Currently the archive contains information transcribed from online FIFA and AFC records, detailing Australia’s participation in major FIFA and AFC tournaments almost completely. Apart from that though, this is one of the more difficult areas to compile information for, as details are thin on the ground or unsorted due to the poor cousin status of futsal in this country. Details on opponents’ squads, friendlies and Oceanian qualifiers and tournaments are especially tricky. As our focus is more on the outdoor side of things, we’re somewhat dependant on external contributions to make anything happen here. As with the rest of the archives, any help or contribution is greatly appreciated..”

“Principle sources used so far for this section are: FIFA’s online database for major FIFA tournaments; the AFC’s online database for major AFC tournaments; FFA press releases where they are available; the Futsal Planet and Fustal4All websites, which have provided information on a myriad of friendlies which would have otherwise remained forgotten or unknown. Thanks to former Futsalroo Elliot Zwangobani for his help, and also to PoHui Ko of the Bolosepako blog for help with the 2001 Tiger 5s venue information”

Check it out here.

Note we have also included a permanent link to OzFootball.net on our links page.

Source : OzFootball.net

The Solomon Islands Kurukuru, in less than a day, will be propelled onto the global stage as the Futsal World Cup gets underway.

As excitement and expectation builds in Brazil, many are putting their money on Spain. Pundits say that whoever overcome Spain, winners of the last two events, will definitely walk away with the trophy.

The team posing the biggest threat to Spain is Brazil, although its coach has downplayed its prospects.

“Spain are the team to beat at this World Cup. They are a group that has had everything planned out for years now. They may have changed coach, but they’ve continued their work just as before,” the Brazilian coach Oliveira tells FIFA.com.

“Nowadays, it’s much harder to win a World Cup than four years ago, because every country is investing in Futsal now we’re seeing rapid improvements. That’s something we’ve been aware of and why we deemed it necessary to professionalise our technical committee, build our own training academy and do all the work we’ve done over the last four years. That’s the only way to prepare a team capable of winning the world title, while at the same time paving the way for the next generation.”

The young Kurukuru lads have their work cut out for them, what they need to do is to stay focused and play their natural game. As a young team the boys should soak in as much as they can from this tournament, and show to the rest of the World that, although young, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Source : Solomon Times Online
By : Gina Maka’a
Published : 29/9/2008

If the Solomon Islands futsal team needed any further reminding that they had reached the big time, then it came early on Friday morning.

Four police officer on motorcycles arrived at their hotel to accompany the team bus from Goiania to Brasilia.

They came to give them VIP (Very Important People) treatment on their way to the Brazilian capital for the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The road through Goiania’s city centre was cleared by the officers, They were constantly buzzing around the bus and blocking other vehicles from hindering the team’s path.

For the humble boys from Honiara - such is their excitement about participating in the World Cup that they would have gladly walked to Brasilia. It was a real thrill to be given such treatment.

On arriving in Brasilia the team checked-in to their hotel. This is also hosting the other teams in their group (Brazil, Cuba, Japan and Russia).

Then they got straight back to work with a light training session at the practice court adjacent to the main stadium, the Nilson Nelson Sports Hall. The venue itself, a dome-like structure, is very impressive and seats over 16,000 people.

The three players nursing injuries, Elliot Ragomo, Jenan Kapu and Junior Kogua were assessed on Sunday by a medical officer.

They were all given the all-clear to play for Kurukuru in their first game against Cuba on Tuesday (Brazil time). Two further training sessions were to take place on Sunday and Monday (Brazil time).

They will give coach Victor Wai’ia a further opportunity to assess the squad and make a final selection of the team.

Cuba finished second in their qualifying tournament (losing to Guatemala on penalties in the final) and will be a tough opponent. All 14 Kurukuru players are proud to represent their country and are determined to raise the profile of Solomon Islands through a strong showing at the World Cup.

Anyone wanting to wish the team well or provide some words of encouragement and inspiration are encouraged to send an email to kurukuru@mail.org.

Source : Solomon Star News
By : James Ruhfus in Brasilia, Brazil
Published : 29/9/2008