The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has confirmed that it will launch the inaugural National Futsal League this year, along with a national futsal tournament.

Despite the sport’s popularity among Maldivian youth, FAM had previously done little to develop futsal. However, the landscape has begun to change since the current administration assumed leadership in July last year.

For the first time, FAM appointed a foreign coach to lead the national futsal team at this year’s SAFF Futsal Championship. The Maldives team went on to win the title with a perfect record. The tournament also marked the debut of the Maldives women’s national futsal team.

In addition to the league and national tournament, FAM has also allocated funds to launch a Futsal Atoll Tournament later this year.

Hdh. Naivaadhoo were crowned champions of the Golden Futsal Challenge 2026 after a dominant 9–3 victory over Dhevvadhoo in the final. Runners-up last year, Naivaadhoo found themselves trailing less than a minute into the match when Raahil fired Dhevvadhoo ahead within the opening 15 seconds.

Naivaadhoo quickly regrouped and responded in emphatic fashion, turning the game around to take a commanding 4–1 lead by the end of the first period. Dhevvadhoo’s power-play strategy ultimately backfired, allowing Naivaadhoo to capitalize and score three of their nine goals during that spell.