Influence of Match Location and Match Outcome on External Load Demands in Female Futsal Players

Contextual factors may influence external load demands during futsal competition, yet evidence in women's futsal remains limited. This study aimed to analyse the influence of match location and match outcome, as well as their interaction, on external load variables in female futsal players. Fourteen national-level female outfield players from a Spanish Second Division team were monitored across 27 official matches during the 2024-2025 season. External load variables were recorded using wearable inertial measurement units and normalised per minute of effective playing time. A total of 191 valid player-match observations were analysed using linear mixed models, with player identity and match identity included as crossed random intercepts. Neither match location nor match outcome significantly influenced any of the external load variables analysed, and no significant match location × match outcome interactions were observed (all p > 0.05). Nevertheless, descriptive differences and effect sizes ranging from trivial to large were observed across the analysed variables. These findings indicate that external load demands in female futsal remain relatively stable across match locations and final match outcomes. Future research including larger samples and more detailed situational variables is required to further investigate the potential influence of contextual factors on external load demands in women's futsal.