It is a momentous turning point. Today FIFA decided to give the go-ahead to the introduction of futsal (male and female) in the next Youth Olympics, planned for 2018 in Buenos Aires. The official seal of approval of this great novelty arrived in an official note circulated at the end of the FIFA Executive Committee meeting that took place today in Zurich, approving the international calendar for 2018-2024.

"As great fan and ex player of 5 a-side, I cannot but be happy for and proud of the introduction of this discipline in the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympics", said Giovanni Malagò, President of Coni. "This decision represents an important recognition of the international status of futsal, and will allow its further development and establishment, together with a very significant growth amongst young people and in schools".

"Futsal at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympics is an extraordinary result, a very significant stepping stone in its international growth, to which Italy has also given a decisive contribution, with its great involvement in this field.  I wish that our National team might be able to participate and demonstrate also in this field the quality of the Italian football system", commented FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio.

"I was deeply touched, I thought back to the early days of its development, to all fans that gave rise to this discipline, I thought of the exponential growth of these years both on a national and international level", said the President of the 5 a-side Division, Fabrizio Tonelli.  "Seeing Futsal at the Youth Olympics is the result of a long work carried out by the whole system, together with friends of the FIFA and UEFA commissions, for the recognition of futsal: this is a significant outcome, which, possibly even more importantly, will give a great impetus to the youth movement connected to this discipline and to the relationship between 5 a-side football and schools".