THIS is the beautiful game.
It’s Wednesday night and the game between Capital City Futsal and a Brazilian select side is nearing half time. The Brazilians are drifting like phantoms across the indoor court, fully immersed in a game they have played since childhood.
The local futsal league started three years ago and has fluctuated between 60 and 100 teams. Futsal, played on a basketball size court and mainly indoors, has taken off in Wellington’s unpredictable climate.
“During bad weather teams are able to split in two, take their energy indoors, and play against each other. It’s a full on, intense, strategic battle,” says NZ Football futsal development manager Dave Payne.
At the game last Wednesday, at the Chinese Anglican Hall in Thorndon, the passion of play is palatable. For the first 10 minutes Wellington’s top side keeps pace, but the Brazilians soon enter a groove where each deft pass and thundering strike is performed like some sort of mesmerising dance.
It’s a casual gathering; Phoenix mid-fielder Daniel Crotes was invited to come along and rounded up a few of his Brazilian friends.
“I have played futsal since I was four years-old, three times a week, and whenever we could find time at school,” says Cortes.
In Brazil, futsal is the number one sport. Cortes says it is a popular beach game in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, where they also play volleyball with their feet.
The Wellington side is made up of various up-and-coming footballers and includes a former Moroccan national player.  
Such is the international flavour of the game that Capital City Futsal came second in this year’s National Men’s Open, to an Omani team from Palmerston North.
Payne says they are waiting in anticipation for the Kilbirnie Sports Arena to provide four full-sized courts.
“We have got no where near enough places to play. If we had another hall we could set up another league overnight. It could attract international tournaments to the capital,” he says.

Futsal is considered an important part of football’s development by the world governing body FIFA.
In Italy, four million play futsal and only one million play football.  
“People have realised the benefits of playing and it has taken off very quickly. It’s like a little community where everyone likes to help out,” Payne says.
The five-a-side game is played with a smaller ball with less bounce, and the rules place emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces.
“The beauty is the ball has 60% less bounce, so it sticks to the ground and allows for the roll overs, step overs, and flicks.”
Unlimited substitutes are permitted and unlike some other forms of indoor football, using the wall is not allowed.