Futsal is one of the top sports in the World University Championships programme, with a significant interest from countries to participate and a high technical level.
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The History of Futsal in FISU
In terms of FISU competitions, Futsal today ranks among the sports that attract the largest number of teams and exhibit a very high level of technical skill. This was not always the case. During the inaugural FISU World University Championship Futsal held in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1984, the sport—then referred to as “football en salle” or “football à cinq”—was considered challenging due to its unique structure, the international landscape, and a lack of unified regulations. Despite these obstacles, the first Championship was significant in enhancing the image of FISU, establishing it as a pioneer in the development of new sports traditions. FISU, in collaboration with the Brazilian University Sports Federation (CBDU), made substantial strides in addressing the issues surrounding regulatory unification between FIFA and FIFUSA. Another notable outcome of this Championship was the promotion of university sports in Latin America, bolstered by the participation of Brazil, as well as Bolivia and Uruguay.
Since that initial event, a great number of editions of the Futsal Championship have been organised, all of which have been immensely successful. It is widely acknowledged that Futsal is a sport actively played in universities. Most countries participating in the World University Championship Futsal field their top players, many of whom also play significant roles in their national teams.
In 2008, while the 11th Men’s Futsal Championship took place in Koper, Slovenia, the inaugural Women’s Futsal Championship was held in Vitória, Brazil, achieving remarkable success. Following this, from the Championship in Novi Sad, Serbia, in 2010, the women’s tournament was integrated into the Championship, which featured 72 players. Edition after edition, this event set new records for participation, and the 2018 Futsal Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, was no exception, with 335 athletes competing. The 2020 Futsal Championship was intended to take place in Poznań, Poland, but was unfortunately cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2022 edition was successfully held in Braga-Guimarães, Portugal.
The 2024 FISU Championship was held in Shanghai, China, and was characterised by an exceptional level of organisation, leaving participants thoroughly delighted with their experience. Ultimately, Croatia triumphed in the men’s tournament, while Brazil claimed the title in the women’s tournament.