Portuguese soccer legend Luis Figo poses for photo during the announcement of Premier Futsal league on April 5 in Mumbai, India. Photo: CFP

 Friday marked the opening ceremony of the debut Premier Futsal tournament in India and for 10 days and 15 games the world will take notice of the two group, six-team competition that aims to bring small-sided football to the subcontinent. Here's everything you need to know about the game, who is playing and what you can expect.

What is futsal?



First things first, what's in a name? Futsal is a contraction of either futbol sala or futbol de salon, both of which mean "football in a room." The game itself, an indoor version of football, was created in 1930 by Uruguayan Juan Carlos Ceriani to play in the gymnasiums of Montevideo. He borrowed elements of other indoor sports - such as the handball net or the five-man teams of basketball still used today - and thus futsal was born. Since then it spread throughout South America and then to the rest of the world, later gaining official recognition from FIFA and being described as the "fastest growing indoor sport in the world."

The game differs from football in a number of ways. It's five-on-five and games are played over two halves of just 20 minutes each, but the clock stops when the ball is out of play.

To ensure that matches are fast-paced, there is also a four-second rule in place for kick-ins (rather than throw-ins), free kicks and the goalkeeper when in possession, although the keeper can play as a normal player in the opposition half.

The ball is a size-four, rather than a size-five, and it is weighted so that it doesn't bounce so high on the hard indoor surface. Substitutions are both rolling and unlimited, however teams can only use 12 players per game.

Most different, though, is the strong emphasis on much less physical play than the outdoor game.

Sliding tackles are outlawed, as is other dangerous play. Furthermore, after five fouls in a half, the other team gets a direct free kick with no wall for every subsequent foul - this takes place from the second penalty mark, which is 10 meters from goal, rather than from the six-meter penalty spot for fouls inside the area.

There is no offside, nor goals direct from kick off, and the keeper can not touch the ball again in his own half after releasing it until either the opposition has touched it or the ball has gone out of play.

It's the future of football. Literally.

The past nine year's Ballon d'Or winners all got their start in futsal before playing the larger-sided, outdoor game. Tellingly, you have to go back to 2006 and it is Fabio Cannavaro the last player to win the Ballon d'Or, who does credit his talent. The Italian is sandwiched between futsal-first Ronaldinho, Kaka and then Ronaldo and Messi as ­winners.

The effect on the world game runs much deeper still, even Pele and Maradona began playing futsal.

Who is involved?

There are six teams, each representing a different Indian city and President Luis Figo has helped attract star names from the worlds of football, futsal and freestyle to all of them.

The format allows each of the participating teams to sign a marquee player and they are such big names that they need no introduction. After Deco pulled out with injury, Ronaldinho (Goa), Ryan Giggs (Mumbai), Paul Scholes (Bengalaru), Hernan Crespo (Kolkata) and Michel Salgado (Kochi) make up the ex-professional contingent with pro futsal player Falcao (Chennai) the star draw even among them.

Falcao, who briefly played pro football for Sao Paolo in 2005, is known as the "Pele of futsal" for good reason.

Figo was no less glowing upon the Brazilian's signing, "Futsal is almost synonymous with the name 'Falcao.'" Four times he has been awarded the title of Best Futsal Player in the World, he's also won 2 Futsal World Cups and 9 Grand Prix de Futsal with Brazil.

Other players include the cream of professional futsal from around the world, athletes who have won the highest personal and team accolades the global game has to offer and some of the most decorated players of the game. These have been spread evenly across the six teams.

Goalkeepers include Spanish Futsal World Cup winner Luis Amado and Argentina's twice Goalkeeper of the Year Santi; defenders such as Brazil's Neto, one of the only defenders to be named as the Best Futsal Player in the World; wingers like Italy's five-time UEFA Golden Shoe Adriano Foglia and Brazil's double world and UEFA Champions League champ Gabriel; and forwards such as Spain's three-time European top scorer Miguelin.

Other top pros from as far and wide as Russia, Iran and Argentina make up the rosters alongside local players who were selected from the Premier Futsal Launchpad program, which sought to cast the net over the nation's amateur futsal players at trials.

These squads are led by some of the best international coaches in the business and chief among them is double winner of the Best Coach of the Year Ney Pereira. And then there is the wildcard: the full-time freestylers, people who make their living from football trickery on the streets, on social media and in exhibition games, such as Sean Garnier, Easy Man and Emil.

How will it surprise you?



Key to the surprises are those freestylers who will perform feats with their feet that will get the crowds off their seats.  The panna (putting the ball through your opponent's legs) and the many variations of the akka (a mid air elastico that sometimes even goes around your opponent) are key among them. And then there are the truly futsal techniques.

Futsal is small-sided and space is limited. With those limitations players have to think outside the box to gain an advantage. That is where techniques such as the punterazo (or the "Toe-lazo," should it result in a goal) - whereby players shoot with their toe to minimize backlift - and the rainbow flick - lifting the ball from your heels and over both your own head as well an opposition player's - come in.

These are rare in the 11-a-side game but these can be expected in Premier Futsal, where the likes of Falcao regularly score with both.

With all the stars already signed up for the next five tournaments, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship for the most beautiful game.