Columbus Futsal Takes on Nationals and Worlds Tournament

July 2, 2024 - CFA had 5 teams qualify for Nationals and Worlds in Orlando, Florida. Their performance could earn them a spot at the World Futsal Cup in Spain later this year.

Columbus Futsal Academy Set to Storm Nationals

Columbus Futsal Academy is gearing up to compete at the Nationals and Worlds tournaments this summer. CFA has 5 teams ready to storm the courts at the Nationals Competition held in Orlando, Florida on July 12th-14th. You won’t want to miss their journey to and through the competitions. 

Follow their progress as they head to Orlando to take on the best futsal clubs in the country and then the world! 

What to Expect from Nationals and Worlds

The Nationals and Worlds Competitions will take place July 12-17th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. These competitions are more than just tournaments—they are a gathering of the most elite clubs, former players, and coaches in the world of Futsal. Anyone who is anyone shows up, shows out, and is prepared to be the best at this showcase. 

Families, fans, former coaches, and players flock to Orlando days before the tournament in anticipation. The environment is electric from the moment players and their families arrive at the airport—often documenting the lead-up days before arriving. This is a can’t-miss-hype-filled event that brings the Futsal Community together. 

These tournaments are the culmination of the Champions Cup Series hosted by United Futsal. As the teams have made their way through numerous tournaments they secured their spot at Nationals by being the best of the best. Now they have the opportunity to compete with other elite clubs and prove themselves as the best futsal club in front of thousands of fans, former players and coaches, and their families. 

Elite Innovation in Tournament Preparation 

While the teams have been playing for their spots at Nationals, United Futsal has been hard at work preparing for the final tournaments. 

Within the convention center, ballrooms are converted into 20+ courts for the duration of the tournaments. They created unique whistles that can have 6 different sounds so that the courts don’t confuse the whistles for their own game. They also designed a new netting system that allows the set up of the goals to require fewer pieces. 

The commitment to innovation and progress in the game of futsal is always inspiring to see.

Player Pathways: How the Tournament Is Organized

During the Nationals tournament, teams battle it out across their divisions. Each division will have a winner and based on their performance in the Nationals Tournament will be seeded for the Worlds Championships, which start on July 15th.

The winner of the Division 1 World Championships are then selected to represent the US at the World Futsal Cup, which occurs later in the year in Spain. These teams will play the best futsal teams in the world—FC Barcelona, SC Corinthians, Benfica, and more. 

Columbus Futsal, has its eyes set on earning a spot in the World Futsal Cup in Spain—a spot guaranteed if they can win the Worlds competition. 

Beyond the Courts: The Nationals and Worlds Experience 

On the first day of the Worlds Tournament, the teams are gathered for the opening ceremony—think World Cup or Olympic opening ceremony-level hype. Teams from the US, Brazil, Australia and Mexico are announced by DJ as they come into the arena.  The teams are chanting their city’s name and performing club chants to the applause of fans and celebrity footballers and coaches. 

It’s one big display of camaraderie, team pride, city colors, and above all a shared love of futsal.  For most players, it is the highlight of the tournament.

Another highlight for many of the players and families is taking the time to enjoy the food scene in Orlando as well the attractions nearby. It's a common practice for teams to meet up at the pools or spend the day after the tournament at Disney or Universal. This tournament is truly an unforgettable experience.

City Pride: How to Cheer on Columbus Futsal

It’s time to rally behind Columbus Futsal Academy as they head out for Nationals and Worlds!

Nationals and Worlds is about more than just the game—it’s about representing your city and your country. Columbus Futsal Academy has the opportunity to show off just how far futsal has come in Columbus on the national and global stage.

So grab your jerseys, wave your flags, and show your support of the CFA teams as they make our city proud.

Don’t miss a second of this incredible tournament by following along with Columbus Futsal’s Instagram. Together, let’s show the world what Columbus Futsal is all about!