Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
THE country’s first Five-A-Side Soccer National League will be introduced this year amid revelations that they will start with 10 teams from the Southern and Northern Regions taking part.
The aim is to increase the number to 16 in the next few years.
Five-A-Side national chairman Philani Banda revealed that the 2025 season will kick off in the first week of April.
“As a country we have never had a Five-A-Side (Futsal) National League. So we will be introducing that league for the first time. The league will be made up of 10 teams, five from the Southern Region and the same number from the Northern.
“For now we are promoting the top five teams from each region and from next year it will be an issue of promotion and demotion. We will be demoting two teams and promoting the same number with a vision of having 16 teams in the league in the next few years,” said Banda.
The Futsal Southern Region League is made up of defending champions Amabhubesi FC, Young Boys FC, Bombers FC, South Wonder FC, Nedbank FC, Goboys FC, Fox FC, Entumbane Stars FC, Mzilikazi FC and TNS FC.
The Northern Region League comprises 401 FC, 16 Views FC, Chibhobho FC, Tace Mundi AC, Kilworth United, Gelens Stars FC, Real Stars, Bundu Boys, Sunshine and TFC Roger.
Banda said they are still laying a foundation for a smooth progress of this year’s campaign.
Five-A-Side football teams field five players, four outfield and a goalkeeper.
Other differences from association football include a smaller pitch, smaller goals and reduced game duration. Matches are played indoors, or outdoors on artificial grass pitches that may be enclosed within a barrier or “cage” to the ball from leaving the playing area and keep the game constantly flowing.
Five-A-Side football is an informal, small-sided game with flexible rules, often determined before play begins. The penalty area is semi-circular and only the goalkeeper can touch the ball within it.
There are no offside rules, headers are allowed, and yellow and red cards work similarly to traditional 11-A-Side football. -@FungaiMuderere
