FIFA Launches Inaugural FIFA Futsal World Rankings: A Milestone for Futsal

Ranking the Future of Futsal: FIFA Introduces Inaugural Futsal World Rankings

In a landmark announcement, today, FIFA introduced its inaugural FIFA Futsal World Rankings, signaling a significant advancement for the vibrant and rapidly growing sport of futsal. Kasra Haghighi, the Head of Olympics, Futsal & Beach Soccer at FIFA, underscored the importance of this historic development, when he spoke to Futsal Focus ahead of the announcement, emphasizing its pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of international futsal.

Main picture: Portugual Winners of the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup – source of the image: FIFA.com

“The launch of the FIFA Futsal Rankings marks the natural progression of the discipline,” stated Haghighi. “Over three and a half decades, the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ has inspired impressive growth of the game, which is reflected by the number of national teams participating in the World Cup qualifiers, and FIFA Member Associations integrating futsal into their programs. Now, the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup will ignite a similar growth for women in the game.”

Haghighi further elaborated, “Launching the Futsal World Rankings for women’s and men’s senior national teams is the next logical step in improving the efficiency and efficacy of the organisation of futsal. The ranking will help provide a competitive basis for national teams to compare themselves globally and will play its role in shaping the future of the international windows within the futsal calendar. The rankings will have an immediate impact with the men’s version being used to determine the pot allocation for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024 draw. On the women’s side, we anticipate seeing lots of movements with the world cup and its qualifiers due to take place over the next couple of years. This is a positive development for the futsal community across the globe.”

Spain – 2023 UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO winners – source of the image: UEFA.com

The introduction of the FIFA Futsal Rankings comes at a time when the popularity of futsal is experiencing an unprecedented surge, with participation rates skyrocketing and viewership numbers reaching new heights. The average television audience for the Lithuania 2021 edition witnessed a remarkable 130% increase compared to the previous edition, underscoring the sport’s growing appeal on a global scale. Additionally, a total of 643,977 digital viewer hours were generated by coverage of Lithuania 2021, further highlighting the sport’s burgeoning popularity in the digital sphere.

The creation of a ranking system in futsal holds immense significance for member associations, providing an objective measure of team strength and fostering healthy competition within the sport. Furthermore, the FIFA Futsal Rankings will serve as a valuable tool for FIFA and its confederations, facilitating the seeding of teams in tournament draws and ensuring compliance with regulations governing international matches.

Beyond its practical applications, the FIFA Futsal Rankings represent a multifaceted asset for the development and promotion of futsal on a global scale. By capitalizing on this new futsal asset, FIFA aims to maximize sponsorship opportunities, provide engaging content for digital media platforms, and support the continued growth and evolution of the sport.

In conclusion, the launch of the FIFA Futsal World Rankings marks a significant milestone in the journey of futsal, symbolizing its growing prominence and global significance. As FIFA continues to spearhead the development of futsal, the rankings promise to be a catalyst for driving growth, fostering competition, and elevating the sport to unprecedented heights on the international stage.

You can view the Men’s and Women’s rankings via this link: https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-rankings/futsal-world-ranking

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