There are many indoor rules and knowing all of them is not necessary for playing indoor soccer.

However, it is a good practice to learn the most essential ones as it will surely help you understand the indoor game better. Let’s start…

The Team

Most indoor soccer matches are played with 6 players per team. One of this six needs to be a goalkeeper.

Offside

In indoor soccer, the offside rule doesn’t exist. With other words, you may stand in your opponent’s penalty kick area and wait for the ball.

In fact, this is a strategy that is pretty efficient especially for contra attacks.

The Field

Most indoor soccer fields are rectangular or oblong in shape with artificial turf surface.

The game can also be played on basketball courts. Goals are generally recessed into the walls. They are also smaller than the regular soccer goals.

Equipment

You need to wear your teams uniform and have shin guards & indoor shoes. Jewelry and other accessories are not allowed.

If you are playing as goalkeeper you should wear colors that are easy to distinguish you from all other players plus the referees.

Free kick

If the ball hits the roof, a free kick is awarded to the opposite team. The free kick must be taken from the place where it hit the roof.

Corner kicks

A corner kick is awarded to your team when the ball hits the netting above your opponents goal.

A good strategy to take advantage of corner kicks is to kick the ball with power at your opponent’s goal.

With little luck the ball will touch someone and find a way into the goal.

Don’t slide tackle

Slide tackling is not allowed in indoor soccer. You should avoid executing sliding tackles because you will burn your skin and I can tell you that it really hurts!

Sliding is dangerous because the walls of the indoor field are pretty hard.

If you don’t know what you are doing you may injure both yourself and your opponent seriously. Avoid sliding tackles whatever you do.

The Ball

For leagues that play on hard surface the ball is usually covered with sued or similar non marking covering. This type of ball will not bounce so much and will be easier to control.

The Crease

There are indoor leagues that enforce a special zone inside the goalkeeper box that is called the crease.

Remember that you can’t shoot the ball from inside the crease unless you have entered the crease already having the ball at your feet.

Summary

These soccer rules are general guidelines for indoor soccer. Remember, your country might have other regulations that are not regulated by FIFA.