Bendigo Amateur Soccer League (BASL) is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with the Australian Futsal Association (AFA) that will see the sport of Futsal continue its rapid growth as a sporting option in the Bendigo Region.

Under the agreement, AFA will take on the management and administration of the Futsal competition in Bendigo for 2015/16 and provide the opportunity for it to develop the sport and bring much needed coaching and skills to the region. A conditional option paves the way for this to become a long term arrangement and support investment in much needed Futsal facilities.

Adam Woods, President, Bendigo Amateur Soccer League said, “We welcome the expertise AFA brings to the development of Futsal in the region. We are enormously proud of the efforts we have made to get this sport off the ground and see Futsal as highly complementary to the development of the outdoor game where fast foot skills and fitness are paramount.”

“Rapid growth demands specific skills and we recognise a partnership with AFA as the best way to ensure Futsal has the opportunity maximise participation and development in the region.”

“We look forward to working with AFA to ensure round ball football is prominent and accessible to as many people as possible in both indoor and outdoor formats.”

Corey Smith, Victorian Country Regional Manager, Australian Futsal Association said, "It is a great step forward for the sport of Futsal to have Bendigo Futsal under the AFA banner"

"Futsal continues to grow in Country Victoria, and our focus is on ensuring that the best possible pathways and structures are in place for players coming through"

"We look forward to the challenge of progressing further throughout the country regions"

Bendigo Amateur Soccer League has operated a summer Futsal competition for many years with the goal of providing a summer option for its outdoor players. The participation rate in Bendigo has soared from thirty five teams in 2012/13 to one hundred and four teams in 2014/15 with over seven hundred participants with a strong mix of boys and girls. Clearly the sport has developed from filling a gap to now being a fully-fledged sporting option.