This fast-growing sport is coming to Madison's parks

Looking for a fun, new way to get outside this summer? Has pickleball become too mainstream for you? Look no further than futsal, a scaled-down variant of soccer that uses a smaller ball on a hard pitch.

Last month, Madison's first futsal court opened at Penn Park on the Southside. Four more are planned to be added to Madison's parks in the next several years. Though the sport's name is a mashup of the Spanish “fútbol de salón,” which literally translates to “indoor football," all of Madison's courts are outdoors.

The Penn Park court was installed by the City of Madison Parks Department, along with two new basketball courts, at a cost of $600,000. Forward Madison FC has since partnered with the Parks Department and the Madison Parks Foundation to raise funds for four more courts to be constructed over the next four years.

“We’re very excited to have our first public, free, accessible [court] in the city,” said Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Penn Park court in April, adding the popularity of futsal is on the rise.

Though not as well-known in the United States as in other countries, much of what futsal does have to offer make it an ideal choice for a public park.

The sport is typically played with two teams of five players, using a smaller soccer ball, about the size of a cantaloupe. As a result, it has an easier setup, is more accessible and less physical than traditional soccer. Throughout the world, futsal has become popular for developing young soccer players.

Additionally, unlike traditional grass soccer pitches, which are unusable in the warm but wetter fall and spring months, the hard futsal pitches will be available to use almost year-round.

For its fundraising efforts, Forward Madison FC plans to host community events and initiatives with a goal of $50,000 a year from 2024 through 2027. The Flock Soccer Foundation, a nonprofit associated with Forward Madison, will assist in fundraising efforts. And the Madison Parks Foundation has agreed to match up to $15,000 in donations.

In a press release, Forward Madison COO Conor Caloia emphasized the importance of the futsal pitches in the club’s commitment “to creating safe, accessible places for our communities to play soccer.”

The Penn Park futsal and basketball courts are the latest in a series of recent improvements to the park, including a new playground and a picnic shelter in recent years. At this point, it is not known where the next four futsal courts will be built.

Jess Miller is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.

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