Welcome to Total Futsal: Putting English futsal on the map

Two and a half years ago, in February 2024, I posted a social media launch graphic for Total Futsal which looked like it had been designed in a primary school classroom (scroll to the bottom for a chuckle).

It read 'An independent media platform, dedicated to English futsal'.

This will always remain the essence of Total Futsal.

Whether you're reading this as a die-hard futsal head or a complete newcomer to the game, you can guarantee the following from myself and this platform:

All bias aside, futsal really is the best sport in the world. You just might not know it yet.

But first, a little bit about me...

My name is Ben Stevens, a 25-year-old English futsal journalist who found the sport at university and has spent the last seven years falling in love with it.

My story in the game is one shared by so many young footballers in England, where the mention of futsal is still often met with a confused stare.

I first played futsal at a Junior Premier League tournament in Swindon as a 13-year-old, without appreciating quite what I was taking part in.

All I remember is that I loved it, enjoying more goalmouth action in a single game than I was across an entire season as a holding midfielder.

Fast forward six years, and I was trialling for the University of Liverpool futsal club, where I would meet my first futsal coach and now good friend, Joe Ryan.

With Joe being a fellow Bristolian, the futsal club quickly felt like home and soon enough, I was shuttling across the north of England on minibuses to Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester for BUCS fixtures, learning more about this sexy, mystical sport and the world surrounding it.

Having members of our squad from China, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and DR Congo, an initial element which drew me to futsal was its multi-culturalism, seemingly bringing foreign students a sense of familiarity and belonging away from home.

In this way, futsal felt totally different to the homogenous and often toxic world of Bristol Saturday football I had grown up with.

With on-court success in my first season coming in the form of a league and cup double, my relationship with futsal deepened - and in 2021, alongside the club president and now equally good friend, Harrison Jackson, I travelled to Kaunas, Lithuania for my first-ever taste of the elite level.

The FIFA Futsal World Cup.

Here, I saw futsal as it was supposed to be played.

From Russia's Robinho dominating an entire half of the court with his one vs one ability, to Costa Rica celebrating every block and tackle like their lives depended on it, and Thailand rotating in perpetual motion.

A year later, it was to Barcelona where we witnessed Adolfo, Pito and Ferrao, in a Copa Del Rey semi-final at the Camp Nou.

Quite apart from Ferrao, the legendary Brazilian pivot, pinning and rolling his marker with his first touch, before smashing it into the top corner, seeing 800 Barcelona ultras, hanging from the courtside netting, creating a constant, deafening noise showed me everything I needed to know about the fan culture.

Signed, sealed and delivered.

Futsal is the best sport in the world.

Since graduating with a masters in Sports Journalism from Liverpool John Moores University, I've been involved as a player with Liverpool Futsal Club, Bolton Futsal Club and, most recently, Bucks Futsal Club, all while building connections and documenting the ins and outs of the English game with Total Futsal.

I have also been fortunate enough to have my writing featured on BBC Sport and the Liverpool Echo.

In 2025, I spent three memorable months in Argentina, soaking in the futsal culture, where I watched Boca Juniors in the shadow of La Bombanera and Newell's Old Boys in Lionel Messi's hometown of Rosario.

Most recently, I spent a weekend in Pesaro, Italy as one of 7,000 fans witnessing Joao Matos & Sporting win the 2026 UEFA Futsal Champions League.

Every time I watch futsal live, I appreciate it more.

I am also lucky enough to work full-time in the sport, joining England Futsal in March 2025, for whom I have documented the development of both the men's and women's national teams and performance programmes over the last 18 months.

In short, despite finding the sport seven years ago, there are now very few moments in my life spent without thinking about, watching or playing futsal.

My mission with Total Futsal is to introduce a new, wider audience to this brilliant, unique and often challenging sport.

As the motto has stated since day one:

Putting English futsal on the map.

In a time where football's heaving expanse consumes itself a thousand times over, I have developed a deep and rewarding relationship with futsal, one which I think there is a growing appetite for amongst football fans in England.

To that end, I would love for you to join Total Futsal, be a part of the journey and support independent journalism through the growth of this platform.

The membership fee, £3 a month or £30 a year, was chosen with affordability in mind, and enables me to sustain and develop Total Futsal going forwards.

Plus, the first month's free, so you can cancel anytime, free of charge if you decide it isn't for you.

I (probably) won't be offended.

Every single subscription, read, click or share makes the hard work worthwhile, and I truly appreciate it.

Let's put English futsal on the map together.