Kenya will send a team to this year’s Hamburg international futsal tournament to be held between August 21-23.Former international striker James Omondi said trials to pick the Kenyan team will be held on June 2 and 3 at Nyayo Stadium.The trials will feature open, under-9 and under-15 categories from which one team will be selected for the August international tournament.“It will be the first time that Kenya will be sending a team to a tournament to compete with other countries. This is the beginning of many such events,” he told Mozzart Sport.##NAJAVA_MECA_7220357##Omondi is one of the local coaches who did a world governing body Fifa futsal elite coaching course in 2016.“It is unfortunate that since then, we have not had futsal in Kenya. But I have taken it upon myself to spread it so that it gives us an opportunity to take part in such global tournaments.” Okumbi urges FKFPL and NSL coaches to train players better for success at Harambee StarsApart from the Hamburg international tournament, there shall be a World Cup qualifier tournament next year with Kenya hoping to go all the way. Futsal will also feature during the Youth Olympic games in 2026. Futsal is a five a side football played on a hard court like a basketball court, smaller than a football pitch and mainly indoors.Futsal, a fast-paced and exciting indoor version of football, has been growing in popularity over the years. It is a sport that requires skill, speed, and agility, and is played in a smaller court with a smaller, heavier ball. Although it may seem like a recent invention, futsal has a rich history that dates back several decades.History of FutsalThe origins of futsal can be traced back to Uruguay in the 1930s, where it was originally known as “indoor football.” The sport was born out of a need to have a version of football that could be played indoors during the winter months. It quickly became popular in South America and was eventually introduced to Europe in the 1950s.The name “futsal” was first used in Brazil in the 1960s, where the sport became highly popular due to the country’s lack of outdoor facilities. The Brazilian Football Confederation organized the first official futsal tournament in 1956, and the sport began to spread rapidly throughout South America.Futsal eventually made its way to Europe, where it was initially played in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. In the 1980s, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) recognized futsal as an official sport, and it was included in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1989.Since then, futsal has continued to grow in popularity around the world. It is now played in over 100 countries and is recognized by most major football associations, including UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
