How Is Futsal Scored?
A Complete Guide to Goals, Accumulated Fouls, Power Play, Overtime & Penalty Shootouts
Last updated: April 6, 2026
In futsal, each goal is worth 1 point. The team with more goals at the end of 40 minutes (two 20-minute halves with a countdown clock) wins the match. Futsal's unique twist: after a team commits their 5th foul in a half, every subsequent foul gives the opponent a direct free kick from 10 metres with no wall — essentially a penalty. In knockout matches, drawn games go to overtime (2 × 5 minutes) and then a penalty shootout.
How Goals Work in Futsal
A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line between the goalposts (3m wide × 2m tall) and under the crossbar. Each goal counts as 1 point — there are no multi-point goals in futsal.
The team with more goals at the end of the match wins. If both teams have the same number of goals, the result is a draw in league play or the match proceeds to overtime in knockout competitions.
Key differences from football:
- The goal is much smaller (3×2m vs. 7.32×2.44m), making each goal harder to score and goalkeeper saves more impactful.
- There is no offside rule — players can position themselves anywhere on the court, creating unique attacking opportunities.
- The 4-second restart rule means dead-ball situations are resolved instantly, maintaining a relentless attacking tempo.
- A goal can be scored directly from a kick-in (the futsal equivalent of a throw-in) — unlike football's throw-in, from which you cannot score directly.
- The goalkeeper cannot touch the ball with their hands in the opponent's half — if they do, the opposing team gets an indirect free kick.
Accumulated Fouls — Futsal's Most Important Rule
The accumulated foul system is what makes futsal scoring tactically unique. Understanding it is essential for following the sport.
How it works: Every direct free kick foul (tripping, pushing, charging, holding, handball, etc.) committed by a team is counted as an accumulated foul for that half. The count resets at half-time.
Fouls 1 to 5: The opposing team gets a normal direct free kick from the spot of the foul. The defending team can form a wall of players at least 5 metres from the ball.
Foul 6 and beyond — the 10-metre penalty: From the 6th accumulated foul in a half, the opposing team gets a direct free kick from the second penalty mark (10 metres from the goal line). Crucially:
- No wall is allowed.
- No players can stand between the ball and the goal — only the goalkeeper.
- The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line, at least 5 metres from the ball.
This is effectively a penalty-like situation from 10 metres with only the goalkeeper to beat. Conversion rates at the professional level exceed 80%.
Why it matters for scoring: The accumulated foul rule means that a team committing persistent fouls in a half is essentially giving away near-certain goals. This creates a fascinating tactical dynamic: teams must balance aggressive defending with foul discipline, and leading teams can deliberately draw fouls to push the opponent toward the 6th-foul threshold.
The timekeeper's role: The official timekeeper tracks accumulated fouls and displays the count on the scoreboard. A horn or buzzer sounds when a team commits its 5th foul, alerting everyone that the next foul will trigger the 10-metre penalty.
Power Play — The Goalkeeper Gambit
Power play is a high-risk, high-reward scoring strategy unique to futsal.
What it is: A team replaces their goalkeeper with a 5th outfield player, creating a 5v4 numerical advantage in the attacking half. The team's own goal is left completely unguarded.
When it's used:
- A trailing team in the final 3-8 minutes of a match.
- Sometimes in the closing seconds of a half by a team desperately needing a goal.
- Increasingly, as a planned tactical system rather than a last-minute desperation move.
The risk: Any turnover can result in the opponent shooting from their own half into an empty goal. Long-range shots at an unguarded net from 30+ metres are common in power play situations.
The reward: The 5v4 advantage creates overloads, passing options, and shooting angles that are almost impossible for the defending team to cover. Professional teams have rehearsed power play routines with specific rotations and set plays.
Impact on scoring: Power play has fundamentally changed the end-game dynamic in futsal. Matches that appear decided at 3-1 with 5 minutes remaining can be transformed by power play goals. Conversely, a botched power play attempt can turn a 1-goal deficit into a 3-goal rout if the opponent scores into the empty net multiple times.
Overtime (Extra Time) in Futsal
In knockout competitions, if the score is level after the regulation 40 minutes, the match goes to overtime.
Format:
- Two halves of 5 minutes each (10 minutes total).
- The countdown clock runs from 5:00 to 0:00 each half.
- The clock stops on dead balls, just like in regulation time.
- There is a 1-minute break between the two overtime halves.
Accumulated fouls in overtime: Fouls accumulated in the second half carry over into the first overtime period. If a team had 4 accumulated fouls at the end of the second half, they start the first overtime period with 4 — meaning their very next foul triggers the 10-metre penalty.
The accumulated foul count resets for the second overtime period.
Substitutions: Teams may make unlimited substitutions during overtime, as in regulation.
If still tied after overtime: The match proceeds to a penalty shootout.
Note: Some competitions skip overtime and go directly to a penalty shootout after regulation. The specific format depends on the competition rules.
Penalty Shootout in Futsal
If the score remains level after overtime, a penalty shootout decides the winner.
Format:
- A coin toss determines which team kicks first and which goal is used.
- Each team takes 5 penalties, alternating kicks.
- Penalties are taken from the penalty mark at 6 metres (not the 10-metre second mark).
- The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line until the ball is kicked.
Winning the shootout:
- The team with more goals after 5 rounds wins.
- If one team has an insurmountable lead (the other cannot catch up), the shootout ends early.
Sudden death: If still tied after 5 penalties each, the shootout enters sudden death: each team takes one penalty per round. If one scores and the other misses, the scoring team wins.
Who takes penalties? Any player who was on the court at the end of overtime can take a penalty. All eligible players must take a kick before anyone takes a second.
Key difference from football: Futsal penalties are taken from 6 metres (vs. 11 metres in football), and the goal is 3×2m (vs. 7.32×2.44m). The shorter distance and smaller goal create a different dynamic — the goalkeeper's reaction time is minimal, but the target is much smaller for the shooter.
Timeouts and the Stopped Clock
Futsal's clock mechanics directly impact scoring opportunities and match rhythm.
The stopped clock: The official game clock counts down from 20:00 to 0:00 each half. Critically, the clock stops every time the ball goes out of play or the referee blows the whistle. This means:
- 40 minutes of playing time typically takes 70-80 minutes of real time.
- Every second on the clock represents actual playing time — there is no stoppage time added at the end of halves.
- Time-wasting by holding the ball is less effective because the clock stops on dead balls.
Timeouts: Each team is entitled to one 1-minute timeout per half. The coach must request it from the timekeeper during a dead-ball situation when their team has possession.
Timeouts and scoring strategy: Timeouts are tactical tools — a coach can call a timeout to set up a specific play, adjust defensive positioning after conceding, or break an opponent's momentum. In the final minutes of a close match, timeout management becomes crucial, especially when combined with power play decisions.
Buzzer at 0:00: The timekeeper's buzzer signals the end of each half. If a shot is in the air when the buzzer sounds, the goal counts only if the ball crosses the line before or at the moment of the buzzer. The referee has no discretion to add additional time.
Worked Example: A Full Knockout Futsal Match
Let's walk through a complete knockout match to see every futsal scoring scenario in action.
1st Half (20:00 → 0:00)
Team A scores at 14:32 from open play. Score: 1-0. Team B commits their 5th accumulated foul at 8:15. The timekeeper sounds the horn. From this point, any Team B foul triggers the 10-metre penalty. Team B fouls again at 6:44 (6th accumulated foul) — Team A gets a direct free kick from 10m, no wall. Team A converts. Score: 2-0. Team B scores at 2:10 from a well-worked set piece. Score: 2-1.
Half-time: 2-1. Accumulated fouls reset to 0 for both teams.
2nd Half (20:00 → 0:00)
Team B equalises at 16:45 with a powerful shot from the wing. Score: 2-2. Team A receives a yellow card at 10:22. With 4 minutes remaining, Team B activates power play — replacing their goalkeeper with a 5th outfield player. Team A now faces a 5v4. Team B scores from the power play at 2:38. Score: 2-3. Team A immediately targets the empty goal. A long clearance from Team A's half sails into Team B's unguarded net at 2:01. Score: 3-3. Team B quickly reactivates power play. No more goals before the buzzer.
Full time: 3-3. The match goes to overtime.
Overtime 1st Half (5:00 → 0:00)
Team B had 3 accumulated fouls in the 2nd half. These carry over — Team B starts overtime with 3 accumulated fouls. Team B commits their 5th foul at 2:11 — the horn sounds. One more foul and Team A gets the 10m free kick. No goals scored. Score: 3-3.
Overtime 2nd Half (5:00 → 0:00)
Accumulated fouls reset. Team A scores at 3:22 from a counterattack. Score: 4-3. Team B pushes hard but cannot equalise. The buzzer sounds.
Final result: Team A wins 4-3 after overtime.
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