The World Futsal Association (AMF) is a governing body of futsal for both independent and non-independent states or regions, headquartered in Asunción, Paraguay. It was founded on 25 July 1971 as the International Futsal Federation (FIFUSA) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On 1 December 2002, the organisation was replaced and changed its name to the Spanish version Asociación Mundial de Futsal (AMF).
Futsal started in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1930, when created a version of indoor football for recreation in YMCAs. In 1965, the was formed, consisting of Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
The sport began to spread across South America, and its popularity led to the formation of a governing body in 1971 under the name of FIFUSA ( or ), comprising Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay, and the creation of world championships. The first FIFUSA World Championship was held in São Paulo, with hosts Brazil crowned champions ahead of Paraguay and Uruguay. Even more countries participated in the second World Championship held in Madrid in 1985.
Due to a dispute between FIFA and FIFUSA over the use of the word "football", FIFUSA started using the term futsal in 1985, although FIFA also adopted it four years later. In the 1990s, FIFA wanted to promote and spread its own version of indoor football, different from the original one played in South America, but it could not find an agreement with FIFUSA at the Rio de Janeiro Congress in 1989. In 2000, there was another failed attempt to repair the situation in Guatemala, where FIFA was holding its fourth world championship of futsal. In December 2002, FIFUSA was reorganised into the World Futsal Association (AMF).
AMF's current version of futsal is different from the version developed by FIFA. Notably, AMF's futsal has throw-ins instead of kick-ins, and corner throws instead of corner kicks.
The AMF and its respective confederations organise futsal tournaments around the world. The AMF Futsal World Cup, which was first staged in 1982, is held every four years.
A women's world cup was first staged in 2008. In 2017, Brazil became the first non-host nation team to win the women's tournament.