Futsal glossary: key terms for parents and team managers

Futsal shares a lot with soccer, but it has its own words. This glossary explains the ones you'll hear most from the bench and the stands. Each entry starts with a plain explanation, then gives the official wording from FIFA's Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26 (effective 5 September 2025), with the Law and section, so you can check it yourself. Where a common term isn't the official wording, we say so.

Jump to: Accumulated fouls · Fifth-foul signal · DFKSAF (6th-foul kick) · 10m mark / second penalty mark · Penalty mark · Kick-in · 4-second rule · Goal clearance · Flying goalkeeper · Timeout · Rolling (flying) substitutions · Substitution zone

Accumulated fouls

These are your team's fouls that give the other team a direct free kick, counted in each half. The count starts again at zero in the second half. In extra time it carries on from the second half.

FIFA's Futsal Terms define it as "A foul committed by a player that is penalised by a direct free kick; each team's tally is added up, starting from zero, in the first and second periods of the match." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Futsal Terms; Law 13.4. See our full guide: Futsal accumulated fouls explained.

Fifth-foul signal

This is the warning that a team has five accumulated fouls in the current half. The next direct-free-kick foul gives the other team a kick with no wall.

The third referee "places a clearly visible sign on the timekeeper's table to indicate that a team has committed five accumulated fouls in one period of play." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 6.2.

DFKSAF (6th-foul kick)

This is the official name for the kick the other team gets from your sixth accumulated foul in a half, and every one after it. Defenders "may not form a 'wall'", and the kicker must try to score directly. If the foul is inside the offender's penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded instead.

"A direct free kick beginning with the sixth accumulated foul is awarded for the sixth accumulated foul and all subsequent such fouls committed by a team in each period." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 13.5.

10m mark / second penalty mark

This is a mark 10 meters from goal, used for sixth-foul kicks (DFKSAFs). The current Laws call it the 10m mark. "Second penalty mark" and "10m kick" are common nicknames, not official terms.

Law 1.5 says: "A second mark is made 10m from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them." Law 13.5 says the ball goes on the 10m mark or at the place of the offence, if that was in the area between the end line and the imaginary line 10m out. For an offence in that area, "the kicker may choose to take the DFKSAF either from the 10m mark or from the place where the offence was committed." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 1.5; Law 13.5.

Penalty mark

This is the spot for penalty kicks. It's closer to goal than the 10m mark.

"Within each penalty area, a penalty mark is made 6m from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 1.4.

Kick-in

This is futsal's version of a throw-in. When the ball goes over the touchline or hits the ceiling, the other team restarts by kicking it from the line. You can't score straight from it.

The ball must be "stationary on the touchline at the point where it left the pitch or the nearest point to where it touched the ceiling", and opponents must be "at least 5m" away. "A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 15 (intro and section 1).

4-second rule

Many restarts in futsal have to happen within four seconds. At least one referee shows the count clearly. There's no count at kick-offs or penalty kicks.

FIFA's referee guidelines use the phrase "the four-second rule" (p.156). The Laws themselves require certain actions to happen "within four seconds". Kick-ins, goal clearances, corner kicks and free kicks (including DFKSAFs) must be taken within four seconds. Separately, a goalkeeper may not control the ball "with the hands, arms or feet in their own half of the pitch for more than four seconds" (an indirect free kick is awarded). Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 12.2; Law 13.2; Law 13.5; Law 15.1; Law 16.1; Law 17.1; Practical Guidelines for Futsal Referees (Signalling, four-second count).

Goal clearance

This is futsal's version of a goal kick, but the goalkeeper throws it. It happens when the ball goes over the end line, last touched by an attacker, and no goal is scored. Opponents must stay outside the penalty area. You can't score straight from it.

"The ball is thrown or released from any point within the penalty area by the goalkeeper of the defending team." "A goal may not be scored directly from a goal clearance." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 16 (intro and section 1).

Flying goalkeeper

This is when a team uses its goalkeeper, or a player in a goalkeeper's shirt, as an extra field player. It can leave their own goal empty.

FIFA defines it as "A goalkeeper who (temporarily) plays as an outfield player, often stationed in the opponents' half and leaving the goal unguarded." A player or substitute replacing the goalkeeper "must wear a goalkeeper's shirt with the player or substitute's own number on the back." Competition rules may require it to be the same colour as the main goalkeeper's shirt. Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Futsal Terms; Law 3.6.

Timeout

Each team can call one one-minute break per half. It's only given when the ball is out of play and your team will take the restart or receive a dropped ball. An unused first-half timeout doesn't carry over, and there are none in extra time.

"The teams are entitled to a one-minute timeout in each period." It is granted "when the ball is out of play and when the team that has requested it will take the restart or receive a dropped ball in accordance with the Futsal Laws of the Game." "There are no timeouts allowed during extra time, if played." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 7.3.

Rolling (flying) substitutions

In futsal your team can swap players on and off as often as it likes, while the ball is in play or not, except during a timeout. "Rolling" or "flying" substitutions are common nicknames for this, not terms in the Laws. The player coming off leaves through your team's substitution zone first. Players who come off can go back on later. In official competitions, a team can use up to nine substitutes. Competition rules set how many can be named.

Law 3.4 says "A substitution may be made at any time, whether the ball is in play or not, except during a timeout". "The substitute only enters the pitch after the player being replaced has left." "The player replaced may take further part in the match." Law 3.2: "A maximum of nine substitutes may be used in a match played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, confederations or national football associations. Competition rules must state how many substitutes may be named." Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 3.2; Law 3.4.

Substitution zone

This is the 5m stretch of touchline in front of each bench. Players must come off and go on there. Each team's zone is in the half it defends, so the zones switch at half-time.

The zones are "situated in front of the technical areas, 5m from the halfway line, and are 5m in length". Source: Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 1.6.

FAQ

What is a kick-in in futsal?

A kick-in is how play restarts when the ball crosses the touchline or hits the ceiling. Instead of a throw-in, a player kicks a stationary ball from the touchline within four seconds, with opponents at least 5m away. A goal can't be scored directly from a kick-in (FIFA Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 15).

What is the 4-second rule in futsal?

It's the name FIFA's referee guidelines use for several four-second limits in FIFA's Futsal Laws 2025-26. Kick-ins, goal clearances, corner kicks and free kicks must be taken within four seconds. A goalkeeper may not control the ball in their own half for more than four seconds. Kick-offs and penalty kicks aren't counted.

What is a flying goalkeeper in futsal?

A flying goalkeeper is a goalkeeper, or an outfield player wearing a goalkeeper's shirt with their own number, who temporarily plays as an extra outfield player. This often leaves the team's own goal empty. It is defined in the Futsal Terms of FIFA's Futsal Laws 2025-26.

Can futsal players be substituted while the ball is in play?

Yes. Under Law 3.4 of the FIFA Futsal Laws 2025-26, a substitution may be made "at any time, whether the ball is in play or not, except during a timeout." The player coming off must leave first, through their team's substitution zone, and players who come off can return later.

Is the second penalty mark the same as the 10m mark?

Yes. "Second penalty mark" is a common nickname. FIFA's Futsal Laws 2025-26 call it the 10m mark: "A second mark is made 10m from the midpoint between the goalposts" (Law 1.5). Sixth-foul kicks can be taken from it (Law 13.5).

How many timeouts does a futsal team get?

One one-minute timeout per half, granted when the ball is out of play and the team will take the restart or receive a dropped ball. An unused first-half timeout doesn't carry over, and no timeouts are allowed in extra time (FIFA Futsal Laws 2025-26, Law 7.3).

Sources

PlayHub tracks futsal goals, shots, saves and each team's accumulated fouls per half, live from the sideline.