AusLeisure

Futsal (indoor five-a-side football) will be one of the sports helping to christen Wellington's new ASB Sports Centre in Saturday's grand opening.

The 12 court, $47.5 million venue opens in Kilbirnie this weekend and around 10,000 are expected through the doors during the open day.

Futsal activities will be held throughout the day at the 2,500 seat venue with the Futsal Whites, New Zealand's national futsal team, kicking off festivities at 9.30am with a match against a St Pat's representative team before competing against ethnic-based local teams in a futsal Cup of Nations.

One court will also be set aside for people to try futsal in half hour blocks created for different gender and age-groups.

Futsal wasn't originally considered in the planning for the centre but was included by the Wellington City Council following rapid growth in recent years and will now base its Capital Football Futsal office at the stadium.

New Zealand Football's Futsal Development Manager Dave Payne explained "futsal is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and with the growth of the sport in Wellington and combined with the huge popularity of football in the region generally, a venue like the ASB Sports Centre will allow the sport of futsal to really kick on.

"It has top of the line facilities right down to the details of the sprung floor and imported goals and it will be a great venue for local and hopefully international futsal competitions."

Up to six futsal courts will be in action every Monday, Tuesday and Friday night beginning in October, and a range of tournaments run during the October school holidays.

Close to 300 futsal teams will play in leagues and tournaments at the ASB Sports Centre between October and December.

For more information go to www.wellington.govt.nz/eventsrec/recreation/centres/indoor/indoor.html

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