Breaking Barriers: The First FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup

Visibility Challenges and the Fight for Recognition

For decades, women’s futsal has lived in the shadows of both men’s futsal and women’s football. Despite its popularity at grassroots level, female players had to fight relentlessly for recognition, often overlooked by federations and denied the global stage. That struggle has finally borne fruit: the 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in the Philippines marks a historic milestone.

This tournament is not just another competition. It is the culmination of years of advocacy, proof of futsal’s growing legitimacy, and a potential stepping stone toward Olympic inclusion. With men’s and women’s futsal now both enjoying FIFA World Cups, and futsal already part of the Youth Olympics, the case for full Olympic recognition has never been stronger.

Squad Composition: A Tale of Two Worlds

The squad lists reveal a striking divide. Some nations field teams of seasoned futsal professionals, while others rely heavily on footballers transitioning into futsal. This contrast highlights both the maturity of futsal in certain regions and the developmental challenges elsewhere.

🇦🇷 Argentina
Composition: 0 football-only, 14 futsal.
Trend: Entirely futsal specialists, many playing in Spain’s professional league.
Key players: Julia Dupuy (Penya Esplugues, Spain), Carina Núñez (Atlético Torcal, Spain).

🇧🇷 Brazil
Composition: 1 football (Tampa, Roma Calcio Femminile), 13 futsal.
Trend: Futsal powerhouse, exporting stars to Italy and Spain.
Key players: Amandinha (Torreblanca Melilla, Spain), Debora Vanin (Bitonto, Italy).

🇨🇦 Canada
Composition: 2 football (US college programs), 12 futsal.
Trend: Emerging futsal nation, CONCACAF champions.
Key players: Joelle Gosselin (Montreal Xtreme ADR), Erika Pion (Atlético Montréal).

🇨🇴 Colombia
Composition: 2 football, 12 futsal.
Trend: Strong futsal identity, Copa América bronze medalists.
Key players: Nicole Mancilla (Independiente Cali), Melissa Jaimes (Atlético Torcal, Spain).

🇮🇷 Iran
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Two-time Asian champions, entirely futsal-based.
Key players: Fereshteh Karimi (Foolad Hormozgan), Sara Shirbeigi (Palayesh Naft Abadan).

🇮🇹 Italy
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Serie A femminile futsal is semi-professional, bolstered by Brazilian-born stars.
Key players: Renata Adamatti (CMB Futsal Team), Ana Carolina Sestari (Roma Calcio a 5).

🇯🇵 Japan
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Entirely futsal-based, semi-pro domestic league.
Key players: Ryo Egawa (SWH Nishinomiya), Yuria Suto (Marin Futsal, Spain).

🇲🇦 Morocco
Composition: 11–12 football, 2–3 futsal.
Trend: Football-heavy squad, new to futsal.
Key players: Jasmine Demraoui (Besançon, France), Manal Essafir (Las Norias CF, Spain).

🇳🇿 New Zealand
Composition: 8 football, 6 futsal.
Trend: Mixed squad, futsal still developing.
Key players: Shivanthi Anthony (Pescadola Machida, Japan), Dayna Manak (Bloomsbury Futsal, England).

🇵🇦 Panama
Composition: 8–9 football, 5–6 futsal.
Trend: Hybrid squad, footballers supplemented by futsal league players.
Key players: Kenia Rangel (LD Alajuelense, Costa Rica), Maritza Escartín (Modern Family FC, Panama).

🇵🇭 Philippines
Composition: 9–10 football, 4–5 futsal.
Trend: Predominantly football-based, adapting to futsal.
Key players: Jaclyn Sawicki (Calgary Wild, Canada), Samantha Hughes (Sala Time FC, Australia).

🇵🇱 Poland
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Entirely futsal, but semi-pro/university-based, not professional.
Key players: Katarzyna Włodarczyk (Uniwersytet Jagielloński), Agata Bała (Nowy Świt Górzno).

🇵🇹 Portugal
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Semi-professional domestic league, reigning UEFA Women’s Futsal EURO champions.
Key players: Ana Catarina (SL Benfica, GK), Fifó (Benfica).

🇪🇸 Spain
Composition: 0 football, 14 futsal.
Trend: Entirely futsal, Primera División is professional.
Key players: Peque (Futsi Atlético), Irene Samper (Poio Pescamar).

🇹🇿 Tanzania
Composition: 14 football, 0 futsal.
Trend: Entirely football converts, very young squad.
Key players: Zuhura Waziri (Simba Queens), Winfrida Charles (Ceasiaa Queens).

🇹🇭 Thailand
Composition: 2 football, 12 futsal.
Trend: Futsal stronghold in Asia, mostly futsal specialists.
Key players: Nattamon Artkla (ACSAT Ratchaburi), Arriya Saetoen (ACSAT Ratchaburi, rising star).

Squad Composition Snapshot

Promotion and Awareness

While the competition itself is historic, the level of promotion and visibility has been uneven:

FIFA’s efforts:
– A dedicated tournament hub with fixtures, team profiles, and interviews.
– Squad announcements highlighting stars like Amandinha, Peque, Ana Catarina, and Nicole Mancilla.
– Features on individual players (e.g., Iran’s Maral Torkaman, Spain’s Antía Pérez) to humanise the event.
– Match schedules and ticketing promoted through FIFA’s channels.

Media coverage:
– Specialist futsal and football sites have provided previews and squad analysis.
– Regional outlets in the Philippines, Spain, Brazil, and Portugal have spotlighted their national squads.
– Global mainstream coverage remains limited compared to football World Cups, most visibility comes from FIFA’s own channels and niche futsal platforms.

Implication: The lack of widespread media attention underscores the challenge women’s futsal still faces. For this World Cup to catalyse growth, federations and FIFA must invest not only in competition but in sustained promotion and storytelling.

Why This World Cup Matters

This tournament is more than a competition, it’s a statement of legitimacy. For the first time, women’s futsal players have a global stage equal to men’s. The diversity of squads highlights both futsal’s maturity in Europe and South America, and its developmental challenges in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

The World Cup could accelerate:

• Investment in women’s futsal leagues, reducing reliance on football converts.
• Visibility for futsal icons like Amandinha, Peque, and Ana Catarina, inspiring the next generation.
• Momentum for Olympic inclusion — with men’s and women’s futsal now both having FIFA World Cups, and futsal already part of the Youth Olympics, the case for full Olympic recognition is stronger than ever.
• Media accountability — stronger coverage is essential if futsal is to grow beyond niche audiences and claim its rightful place alongside football.

The 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup is not just history in the making, it’s the future unfolding. It reflects the struggles women’s futsal players endured to be seen, the progress achieved in some regions, and the opportunities ahead. Whether Spain or Portugal lift the trophy, or a newcomer shocks the world, the real victory is that women’s futsal finally has its rightful place on the global stage.

Yet visibility remains the next frontier. FIFA has promoted the event, but mainstream media attention lags behind. For futsal to reach the Olympics, and for women’s futsal to thrive, investment must be matched by storytelling, coverage, and recognition.

For Futsal Focus readers, this is the moment to watch closely: the tournament could redefine the women’s game, inspire federations to build futsal pathways, and open the door to futsal’s Olympic destiny.

Organ Donation

Futsal Focus is a supporter of Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family’s campaign to raise awareness of Organ Donation. We encourage our readers to learn more about Organ Donation:
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/

Futsal Focus

You can read more articles about International Futsal by going to the top navigation bar or by clicking here.

If you like this article and would like to keep updated on Futsal news, developments, etc. You can now follow Futsal Focus via Google News. By following our page which will send you an alert as soon as we publish an article. Please click here and follow us on Google.

You can also keep updated on Futsal news, developments by submitting your email below in the Subscribe to Futsal Focus option.

Follow Futsal Focus by clicking on
Facebook,
Twitter, or
Instagram
or on the social media buttons on the website.