The Magic of the Olympics
For 17 days, every sport shines at the Olympics, none considered minor. Each event, without exception, finds its audience and sparks interest. However, many sports still remain far from the global spotlight, missing their moment to feel like the center of the universe. Indoor soccer, or futsal, is a prime example—its exclusion from the Olympics is hard to justify, both objectively and strategically. In recent years, the Olympic Games have aimed to reinvent themselves as a spectacle and a business, with a clear focus on drawing in younger audiences. To achieve this, the IOC has introduced sports that appeal to this demographic, known for their short attention spans.
The concept is simple: include sports with brief, fast-paced events full of stimuli. This is why disciplines like skateboarding, surfing, climbing (with its speed, bouldering, and difficulty categories), and breaking have been added to the lineup. Traditional sports have also adapted, offering “mini” versions to stay relevant. Beach volleyball, which debuted in Atlanta ’96, was a huge success, prompting other sports to follow suit. Basketball introduced 3×3, rugby brought in rugby 7s, and cycling added BMX. But what about soccer? Futsal seems like the obvious “pocket” version of the world’s most popular sport, with established rules and global reach, yet it remains outside the Olympic Games.
the process
To understand why futsal isn’t an Olympic sport, it’s important to dismiss the usual reasons that keep emerging sports like padel from joining the Olympics. The Olympics require sports to meet four criteria to be considered for inclusion. Futsal meets all these requirements, as confirmed multiple times by Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee. He’s stated that while futsal ticks all the boxes to become an Olympic sport, the decision lies beyond their control. The challenge lies in FIFA and the IOC finding common ground. A strained relationship between these two organizations is evident, as seen in the Olympic football tournament, which features U-23 teams instead of football’s biggest stars.
The process for a sport to be included in the Olympics involves an evaluation period after meeting the initial requirements. This assessment considers factors like the sport’s popularity, history, and international organization. The decision is then put to a vote by IOC members. So far, futsal has not reached this stage. However, futsal was part of the Youth Olympic Games in 2018, which often serve as a testing ground for potential Olympic sports. Despite its success, the experiment didn’t lead to futsal’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. In contrast, breaking, which debuted the same year, was well-received and will be part of the Paris 2024 Games.
