MUMBAI: After cricket, football, hockey, tennis, badminton and kabaddi, Futsal is going to be the latest sport to have a league time tournament of its own. Luis Figo, soccer player for Real Madrid FC and Portuguese, today announced launch of Premier Futsal Management, that will organise Premier Futsal, the first-ever multi-national Futsal league Futsal is a 5-a-side shorter variant of soccer with two halves of 20 minutes each. A fast growing sport in India and the world, in India it is governed by Futsal Association of India (FAI) with accreditation from the international governing body, Asociación Mundial de Futsal (AMF).The first franchise-based league will be played across 8 cities in India from 15 – 24 July. It will bring together 56 of the best current Futsal players from across the world in a competitive format.Xavier Britto, chairman, Premier Futsal said, “Premier Futsal is a world-class league, which will feature best current Futsal players from across the globe. Owing to the unique and innovative model, the league will not only disrupt the global Futsal scenario, but also establish the first generation of professional futsallers in India. Given the fast-paced all action nature of the sport and its short duration, we are confident Premier Futsal will capture the imaginations of TV audience as well as fans in-stadia.”Premier Futsal will see each playing team mandatorily comprise of three international Futsal players, one international marquee soccer player and one Indian Futsal player. Each squad size will be of twelve players.Premier Futsal, in association with FAI, will also launch a talent hunt program across 8 cities to scout and select Indian players. The program will comb through 2500 participants per city, to shortlist five regional players for each team.Speaking at the launch former world player of the year Luis Figo who is also the president of Premier Futsal, said, “Premier Futsal is set to take the sport of Futsal to the next level internationally. Back in Portugal, I have played Futsal extensively growing up which instilled quick thinking, skills and close control. In the last two decades, the sport has established its identity and with Premier Futsal, we hope to further propagate the sport in its individual capacity.”“Futsal has been around for over 70 years and currently it is one of the fastest growing sport in the world and as well as in India,” said Namdev S Shirgaonker, VP at AMF and co-founder and president of FAI. “The Futsal scenario, especially in India, will greatly benefit from a structured professional league, wherein young Indian player would rub shoulders with global talent. The league would also thrust the sport in mainstream attention and make aspirational for the youth of the country.”► Futsal is 5-a-side indoor soccer with two halves of 20 minutes each► The franchise-based futsal league will be played across 8 cities between 15- 24 July► It will see over 50 International Futsallers in addition to 8 international soccer marquee players from 4 continents and 21 countries.► Nationwide talent hunt will be launched to scout 40 Indian Futsallers