Premier Futsal returns for its second season
What's the story
The Premier Futsal league returns for its second season on September 15. The league, which has former footballer Luis Figo as its president and Indian captain Virat Kohli as a co-owner, will bring together retired football legends such as Ronaldinho and Ryan Giggs, professional futsal players and of course, local Indian talent. The inaugural season was watched by at least 100 million people globally.
Futsal, what?
What is futsal?
A 5-a-side indoor version of football, futsal has a combination of the rules of football, basketball, water polo and handball. It is usually played on artificial or wooden flooring and the court size is 40m*20m. It is the fastest growing indoor sport and is widely credited for the development of skills of the some of greatest footballers ever including Pele and Maradona.
Premier Futsal 2016
Mumbai won the six-team tournament last year
Like in the inaugural season, six teams, Mumbai Warriors, Chennai Singhams, Delhi Dragons, Kerala Cobras, Bengaluru Royals and Telegu Tigers, will be vying for the title. Last year, Mumbai Warriors had won the title after beating Kochi via penalties in the final in Goa. Also, last year, there was a team from Kolkata but this year the Delhi team has taken its place.
Premier Futsal 2017
What's new this season?
This season, the matches will be played in two Indian cities- Mumbai and Bengaluru, over two weeks. However, for the semi-finals and the final, the tournament will move to Dubai. The league has also roped in actors Sunny Leone and Rana Dagubatti as brand ambassadors and co-owners of franchises this season that adds to the glamour of the tournament.