It’s all about indoor football in Dubai

As summer temperatures soar, many players head indoors to get their football fix. Quite often seen as a filler until the weather is cool enough to play outside again, there’s actually more to indoor football than a temperature-controlled environment and AstroTurf pitch.

Here are 10 reasons why you should give the indoor version a go, even when the high temperatures start to take a dip:

1. Pick your battle

With indoor football, there’s the flexibility of picking your pitch size – that way you choose the intensity level of your game. Most pitches for indoor football in Dubai are either 5-a-side or 7-a-side, so if you pick a smaller pitch you will be running less but your ball control skills will definitely be on overdrive. If you choose a larger field with teams of 7, then you’ll be running more tactically as you test your agility on a larger scale.

2. Push past your limits

Since the action goes on within closed quarters, there’s hardly time to take a breather. Each game will improve your stamina as the ball is in constant play and bouncing off walls as compared to playing on unfenced grounds outside. There’s no out-of-bounds rule in the indoor version either, unless the ball goes over the wall or net, so players are constantly moving and in turn, this boosts your endurance.

3. Improve your skills

With a smaller field, there are more chances for you to interact with the ball. This allows you to work on your agility, your speed and even try your hand at new tricks. As a result, your shooting, dribbling and passing efficiency levels increase much faster than a game of football on a vast outdoor field.

4. Play a safer game

Most of the pitches in Dubai are made up of soft turf which is a lot easier on your legs, compared to the hard-surface pitches found outside which can often go unmaintained. These indoor versions rule against slide tackling too, so you’ll find yourself finishing a game with fewer injuries.

5. More action for everyone

There’s no getting bored with an indoor football match; the smaller pitch results in an action-packed game as players do their best at defending and attacking – and all at great speed. So not only will you be working your adrenaline to the pace of the game, you’ll become confident and faster – naturally working your flair on the field for anyone watching.

6. Score more goals

Just as fast-paced as the game is, so is the scoring tempo what with the smaller field, quick feet and the use of walls to exercise those key passes and shots. Players are not confined by their position either, so instead of standing and waiting for the ball to come to their turf – anyone can dominate any role, so goals can be scored by defenders just as often as strikers.

7. Play when it suits you

There’s always the difficulty of securing pitches outside because they’re often available for public use. With indoor football, you have to book a field in advance so there’s plenty of time to inform the other players and some facilities stay open past midnight, so scheduling a game for 10 to 14 players is simple.

8. Enjoy flexible rules

Due to the size of the field, indoor football does away with the much-debated Offside Rule, so you’ll end up learning and exercising calculated defense moves instead. There is no limit to the number of substitutions either, and players can come back on the field whenever they’re ready to, unlike outdoor football rules that tend to be more rigid.

9. Stay cool

When it comes to Dubai’s hot and humid season, the weather outdoors can be off-putting, and while rain is infrequent here – Dubai has seen plenty of flash floods, so instead of leaving yourself defenseless to the weather, play all year round in comfort and consistency in your game, by going indoors.

10. Play in the big leagues

Dubai plays host to a number of indoor football tournaments for amateur players to get involved in. From global tournaments like the F5WC (Football Fives World Championships), to leagues held by local sports academies, the chance to show off your football skills and compete at a higher level is a great opportunity in this part of town.

To kit yourself out in the latest gear for indoor football in Dubai head over to a Sun and Sand Sports store near you!