The North West has always been a hub for footballing talent and that reputation is only getting better here in Greater Manchester and Salford, specifically, through one of the sport’s best proving grounds: futsal.
Ordsall Leisure Centre is the new home of the state-of-the-art futsal facility SCL Arena, set to revolutionise the sport in the North West of England. Futsal has gained fast momentum in recent years and our region was due a new home for the sport.
For those that aren’t familiar with the game, futsal is a type of football played indoors on a much smaller, hardcourt pitch. It is also played with a smaller, harder ball that is less bouncy to encourage control, improvisation and technique.
Think almost the ‘joga bonito’ days, FIFA Street or Volta in the new ones, only there’s no bouncing the ball off the walls in futsal. Here’s a taster from our very own Manchester Futsal Club.
Now, thanks to a £190k grant from the Premier League, the FA (Football Association) and the Government Football Foundation (GFF), as well as an additional £127k from Salford Council, Manchester is now home to one of the best places to play futsal in the country.
ADVERTISEMENT
The project also comes with the construction of new changing rooms and an educational space and a recent showcase event featured constant futsal action from academy players and a local primary school, with some truly fantastic talent on display.
Watching on was the CEO of the Manchester FA, Colin Bridgford who spoke of the importance of bringing the facility to Salford.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s a great opportunity for Salford to have the first dedicated futsal centre. It’s been much needed and it gives people an opportunity to learn about the game.”
A full look at the new arena. (Credit: Salford Leisure via X)
“Everyone plays football”, he continued; “Salford and Manchester are a hotbed for the sport but understanding the technique and the skill of futsal is so beneficial for young players.”
If you grew up in Salford or Greater Manchester playing the beautiful game, you’ll understand the struggles of finding a place to play.
ADVERTISEMENT
If the ‘no ball games’ signs don’t throw a spanner in the way of a kickabout, the weather more than likely will — and that’s just for football.
In our not-so-tropical climate, futsal simply has to be played indoors so the opportunities to play around here have previously been limited.
The SCL Arena at Orsdall Leisure will not only be a place for sport to thrive but will serve as an inclusive hub for promoting and developing talent within the community and beyond.
Earlier today, @CllrBentham opened the #Futsal SCL Arena at Ordsall Leisure Centre.
— Salford Community Leisure (SCL) (@SalfordLeisure) February 12, 2024
The opening event was a great success.
“You can’t play it if you don’t have the facilities as we all know. The investment from the FA and the local authority of Salford have put into this has been fantastic.”
“You do need that place where you can just walk into an arena like this where the pitch is purpose-built and the markings are really clear.”
ADVERTISEMENT
As you might expect, the game originated in South America in the 1930s and soon spread across the world. In countries like Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Portugal, young players are brought up on the sport with the world’s best footballing talent owing their skill to the small-sided game.
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi began plying their trade on the futsal courts of Funchal and Rosario respectively. Maybe a future Ballon d’Or winner will forge their success in Ordsall Leisure Centre, you never know!
“It’s certainly a growing sport in England. If you look at it around Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal, this is their day-to-day and that is where you get to see players working their way to the Premier League.”
“What futsal does is keep the flow of the game and makes players think quicker, it’s not always about what is happening at your feet but what’s happening upstairs – it’s a really adaptive game.”
“The skills and technique certainly come from futsal so if we can create more technically minded individuals in England then the future holds well and this is a great place to start.”
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’re a fan of a fast-paced game with action that can happen right up until the final whistle then futsal might be for you. But most importantly, it’s about getting up and active and now it’s possible to enjoy the game right on our doorstep.
Colin put it perfectly: “Irrespective of whatever game we play, whatever sport we play we do it for fun and what I’ve seen today is young people smiling, being active and having a great time!”
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester Futsal Club (via Instagram)/Supplied
Sport
Location for new Manchester United stadium announced after club secures land for the build
Danny Jones
The location for Manchester United’s brand-new stadium has been officially revealed just over a fortnight on from the football club securing the land after more than a year of disputes.
Man United’s ‘New Trafford’ is set to be a state-of-the-art sporting ground with a roughly 100,000-seater capacity, not only becoming the largest in the UK but rivalling all other industry-leading arenas around the world.
While there’s been plenty of speculation about funding for the redevelopment, the proposed designs, and the aforementioned plot for the massive project, serious forward momentum can finally begin now that the latter has been resolved.
That being said, the INEOS ownership group, board of executives and partnered Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have now confirmed where exactly the site for Old Trafford 2.0 will be situated, not to mention some new CGIs.
Put in the simplest terms, the work will be centred around the Wharfside area, with the native council and Freightliner both having, at long last, greenlit the plans in principle.
The Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation (OTRMDC) and dedicated Taskforce – on which Mayor and seemingly soon-to-be Prime Minister Andy Burnham has served since its inception – are set to create a fresh ‘Stadium District’ across the 150 hectares of space in Stretford.
Revolving not only around the current Metrolink tram stop and other accessible Bee Network routes, but sitting approximately just 350 metres North of the existing ‘Theatre of Dreams’, the blueprints go far beyond just creating newer and bigger stands that are easily reachable.
As per an official MUFC statement, “the vision is for a diverse neighbourhood creating 48,000 local jobs and 15,000 new homes, with the new stadium as the catalyst. Together, the mixed-use developments across 150 hectares have the potential to offer a £7.3bn-per-annum boost to the UK economy.”
Promising to maintain key aspects of nearby heritage, traditions and matchday rituals, be a walk from Pomona to a favourite food truck, or supporters making their way down the Quays and the River Irwell, they’ve even put together a video of what they hope this next chapter for Trafford will look like.
Safe to say, the GMCA, United and everyone involved have pretty ambitious ideas when it comes to a fresh era for the borough and the surrounding section of Stretford and bordering Salford.
Local Council Leader Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said of this most recent update: “We are delighted to introduce the masterplan which starts a long journey to piece together what could happen where, to bring this world-class cultural and sporting destination to life.
“We want to create a great place to be, not just on matchdays but every day – and we’re looking for as many residents and businesses as possible to help us to shape this vision, through our forthcoming consultation process.
“Wharfside will become a network of attractive neighbourhoods in which to live, work, wander, explore, relax with family, enjoy nature and wildlife, meet friends, eat out, have a drink, shop and be entertained.”
He goes on to add that besides the obvious additions to the matchday experience, this will effectively become the city region’s latest neighbourhood, delivering new parks and waterside spaces, housing including affordable options, and even new health and educational facilities.
Twinned with the obvious transport links and proximity to other key parts of Greater Manchester, this could be one of the biggest overhauls the North West has seen in decades; you can see more down below. What do you make of it all?
Our proposed new home will sit at the heart of a new stadium district ❤️🏟️
Featured Images — Publicity pictures via Manchester United Football Club
Sport
Prime Minister set to announce extra bank holiday if England win the 2026 World Cup
Danny Jones
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly set to announce an extra bank holiday if England win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What a way to sign off from the highest office in Great Britain, eh?
According to Sky News journalist Beth Rigby, the outgoing PM is expected to reveal an extended period of celebration across the country if/should/WHEN (you’ve got to believe) the Three Lions reach this year’s World Cup final and lift the biggest prize in global sport.
Starmer may be gearing up to leave No. 10 Downing Street soon, but he can certainly earn himself a few more points in the pros column should this familiar rumour come to fruition.
The PM is planning to announce a bank holiday if England win the World Cup. Final is the day before handover of power day on July 20. PM expected to confirm bank holiday if England reach the final, with the likely date set to be July 24. Dare to dream!
As Rigby states in her post on X, this decision would fall just before the transition in leadership, with Greater Manchester’s own Mayor Andy Burnham all but confirmed at the head of the table already within the Labour Party cabinet.
Regarding the still only potential bank holiday – Thomas Tuchel’s side still need to make it through the quarter-final and the semis, remember – the Sky reporter states that the following Friday, 24 July, is the most likely date.
Understandably, plenty on social media are already rejoicing over the prospect, but some aren’t content with waiting a week to carry on the post-trophy lift party, with many arguing that it should be the Monday morning immediately after the final next Sunday (19/2/2026).
Let’s be honest, there’ll be lots of people pulling sickies regardless of whether or not their bosses are left to grant a day off.
Many have already rightly argued that such decisions should have been made in the past after the Lionesses won not just one but two back-to-back European Championships; we’re willing to forgive and move on if the powers that be make it happen this time.
Starmer recently said that despite always believing England will “go all the way”, he didn’t want to jinx anything, simply telling the BBC’s Chris Mason: “Ask me again if we make the final.”
Either way, the general jubilation should England end 60 ‘years of hurt’ will be nothing short of colossal, and it would only feel right given the sheer gravity of the would-be achievement.
We’re even getting excited merely by the idea of some additional and, at present, strictly hypothetical pre- and post-match entertainment…
Harry Quick -
13th February 2024 
