How to Play Indoor Football in Winter

An international favourite, indoor football is a winter saviour to those living in particularly cold climates. In countries such as Canada, the UK and some parts of the USA, where winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing and adverse weather conditions such as snow, hail and ice play havoc with football match schedules, indoor football represents a fun, accessible way to keep playing when outdoor football is no longer an option.

If you’re looking for a way to keep your training going during the winter months, or would simply like to get involved with a new and exciting variant of your favourite sport, learn all about what indoor football has to offer at Avec Sport. In this blog, we’ll be passing on all our knowledge of indoor football, from the different sub-categories to useful indoor football drills to try out for yourself, so read on to get started on your new cold-weather hobby.

What is indoor football called?

While many people would say that indoor football is called futsal, and they wouldn’t strictly-speaking be wrong in doing so, there are actually many types of football that could also be classified as ‘indoor football’. The only real defining factors of indoor football are that, as the name suggests, it is played indoors and it is a type of football. This means that a wide range of small-sided football games, including modified versions of 5-a-side and 6-a-side football, can also share the same classification that futsal has dominated for years.

What are the benefits of playing indoor football?

Playing indoor football, whether solely in the winter or all year round, is associated with a wide range of benefits that span an impressive variety of elements. Everyone from the individual player to the team and even the caretakers of outdoor football pitches benefit from football moving indoors, so making the decision to add a few indoor sessions to your training schedule could be very advantageous.

Environmental factors

While football can, and regularly is, played in rain, snow and storms, these adverse conditions can be dangerous for many reasons. Firstly, players hitting the pitch after heavy rainfall are at an increased risk of injury. Just one misstep or too-fast of a turn could result in a fall which, if serious, could spell a goodbye to football for any amount of time. Beyond this, poor weather conditions, in particular strong winds, could affect the outcome of the game. No amount of training can prepare a player for a sudden burst of wind turning a sure-fire goal into a narrow miss. 

Looking past the players on the pitch and the game of football itself, there are also considerations to be made for the pitch itself. If you’re playing on a grass pitch which isn’t fortunate enough to have an overhead covering available, rain and snow, followed by many studded football boots, can only spell an expensive disaster. A lot of money goes into pitch care and churned up, muddy grass can be a painfully costly sight for any pitch caretaker.

Skills and abilities

Contrary to what some may believe, indoor football represents a unique test for a wide range of football skills that, with practice, can enhance your regular game. Played in a smaller space with fewer players on the pitch, games such as futsal and indoor 5-a-side football are incredibly fast-paced and demand quick thinking and even quicker reflexes. Players must be constantly ready to pass or receive the ball, all while pushing into opposition territory to create opportunities for scoring.

This is another element of futsal and indoor 5-a-side football that players benefit from; the scoring. Compared to a traditional 11-a-side match, indoor football matches have a lot of goals. Opportunities occur often and the team with the fastest reflexes and best training can make the most of them to score throughout the game. This means that, if you’re coming in from the cold during winter to take up futsal or another indoor football variant, you’ll have plenty of practice taking shots on goal, or saving them if you play in the position of goalkeeper.

Better for children

Just as the above benefits of playing indoor football apply to adults, they also apply to junior players - perhaps even more so. Young players, depending on their level of commitment to the game, may be less receptive to coaching during the middle of a rainstorm and any injury sustained may turn them away from the game altogether. Protecting our young players by bringing them indoors during poor weather conditions is an excellent way to preserve their interest in the game, and even give them some new inspiration for training. For example, many coaches utilise the indoor sound systems available in many gyms or sports halls to liven up indoor football drills with music. This keeps young players engaged and having fun during their session.

Indoor football drills

Whether you’re trying out futsal or are taking your regular 5-a-side team indoors during the winter, prepare for your training session by incorporating some of our favourite indoor football drills into your schedule.

Passing drill

In futsal, the smaller playing space and fast pace demands absolute precision. Without it, passes go awry and goals miss, giving the opposition every chance they need to steal the ball and score for themselves. To sharpen these skills, practice making precision passes by pairing up players and having them take short direct passes to one another while making their way up the pitch. 

Dribbling drill

Just as precise passing can mean the difference between maintaining possession and losing it to the opposition, so too can controlling the ball. Even with a shorter distance to travel from one end to the other, being able to dribble the ball past the opposition is essential to setting up goal-scoring opportunities. Build up your ability to control the ball with indoor football drills such as cone weaving or paired tackling. For the former, you’ll need to set up a straight obstacle course to weave the ball through, while the latter requires a partner to try to steal the ball away.

Find indoor football essentials at Avec Sport

Keep your skills sharp through the winter months with our collection of high-quality indoor football essentials. Whether you’re looking for a brand new kit to take inside with you or are looking for training bibs to make your indoor football drills run more smoothly, find everything you need online at Avec Sport.