Opening matches highlight the impact of specialist futsal training on the world’s biggest stage.

The final group-stage matches of the inaugural 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup (Philippines) delivered lopsided scores and clear lessons. Over Nov 22–23, teams composed of seasoned futsal players dominated those that leaned on traditional footballers. The fixture list and results illustrate this divide, challenging anyone who dismissed futsal as “just indoor soccer” or ‘why does FIFA waste money investing in that sport’, which sadly football industry executives have said to me over the 13 years that I have been promoting our wonderful sport. Notably, futsal research shows that youth trained in futsal gain “superior passing accuracy and decision-making” on a football/ soccer field.. The tournament’s scores prove this in reverse: teams of “football converts” consistently struggled.

(Main picture source: FIFA website – Renata Adamatti made one of the most mind-blowing debuts in the history of FIFA competitions as Italy staggeringly scored 17 times without reply. Portugal also hit double figures, while Brazil and Japan won big on their FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ debuts.)

Match highlights

• Nov 22 (Group B):

  • Colombia 2–0 Canada

  • Spain 5–2 Thailand

• Nov 23 (Groups C & D):

  • Japan 6–0 New Zealand

  • Portugal 10–0 Tanzania

  • Italy 17–0 Panama

  • Brazil 4–1 Iran

Breakdown of key matches

Colombia vs Canada (2-0): Colombia’s futsal-dedicated squad edged out Canada in what was a measured performance: compact defence, quick transitions and disciplined structure, while Canada showed glimpses of potential but lacked the futsal “rhythm” and cohesion.
Spain vs Thailand (5-2): Spain’s offensive fluency shone through, but Thailand mounted a spirited comeback, showing what a dedicated futsal culture can yield. The result blunted any notion of an easy mismatch.
Japan vs New Zealand (6-0): Japan dominated from the outset: two early goals, then four more in a second-half burst. New Zealand defended bravely but simply could not match the speed and precision of a mature futsal side.
Portugal vs Tanzania (10-0): Portugal put on one of the tournament’s most clinical displays; Tanzania’s lack of futsal infrastructure and specialist players showed in the gulf between teams.
Italy vs Panama (17-0): Italy set a tournament record margin. The scoreline speaks not only to Italy’s power but underscores how wide the gap remains when one side field specialist futsal players and the other does not. 
Brazil vs Iran (4-1): A competitive contest by comparison, but Brazil’s futsal pedigree and tactical maturity gave them the edge; Iran showed fight but lacked the depth of futsal-experienced personnel.

What the results say about futsal’s legitimacy

These outcomes reinforce a central point made in a previous Futsal Focus piece, “Breaking Barriers: The First FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup”. Some developing associations have no choice but to recruit footballers into futsal squads due to lack of a trained pool. That’s not what these results target. Rather, they serve as a caution to those who view futsal as inferior or interchangeable with football. The facts are clear: it’s far easier for a futsal player to transition to football than for a footballer to deliver on the futsal court especially at this level. Specialist training, spatial awareness, rapid decision-making under constrained dimensions, these are the hallmarks of futsal success.

The major victories by teams built on futsal foundations (Japan, Portugal, Italy, Spain) show that investment in the sport by FIFA is beginning to yield competitive and cultural credibility. For associations using footballers out of necessity, the lessons are clear: futsal at the world stage is not a stepping stone or light version, it’s a distinct discipline that requires its own infrastructure, coaching and player pool.

Media reactions and broader significance

Global futsal-specific media immediately picked up on the results. A New Zealand-based futsal site described the Japan vs New Zealand match in detail, 30 attempts to two, dominance from minute one, futsal rhythm overwhelming physical football input (Friends of Football) Meanwhile, Philippine host-nation coverage praised the milestone of the event itself even when the home side lost heavily. FIFA’s own match-report site highlighted Italy’s record 17-0 win and Brazil’s steady 4-1 opening to underline the widening gap. In short, the tournament is already delivering the message: women’s futsal deserves the investment and respect it is finally receiving.

Final word

As we pass into the latter stage of the group phase, the message is clear: this tournament is not a consolation for footballers or an after-thought. It’s a global showcase, and specialists are proving they belong. The investment by FIFA is not “wasted” or mis-targeted: it’s yielding clarity, structure and legitimacy for a sport too long undervalued. For those who still wonder why futsal matters, look at Manila, look at these scores, and understand: the futsal court demands the best, and on that stage, the specialists are showing up.

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/

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