Football on The Beach: Famous Tournaments, Teams and Players

Football is the most popular sport in the world due to its easy accessibility and extensive organization. In the sunnier part of the world a new version of the game, beach soccer was born in the 1950s. What started as a side activity, just some football on the beach has become a professional sport with its stars and tournaments. Let’s see the best teams and players in beach soccer now. 

Most people think that beach soccer comes from Brazil and it might be true. Several players have been playing it on Copacabana beach since the 1950s. But the first official tournament was held in Miami Beach in 1993. After the laws of the game were codified in 1992 by the founders of Beach Soccer Worldwide. Beach soccer became a part of FIFA in 2004. And the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was organized in 2005. Since then the sport has gone through a huge development. Now it is played in more than 200 countries. Thanks to former great stars like Eric Cantona, Romario, or Julio Salinas who all participated in the sport. Beach soccer has its stars and tournaments in both men’s and women’s competitions. And some special rules which you can learn below.

Beach Football Betting: Are Football on the Beach Have Special Rules?

Most of the rules of beach soccer are based on the laws of football, but there are some specific ones as well. First of all, the pitch is certainly smaller than a normal football field.  It has a length of 35-37 meters and a width of 26-28 meters. The beach soccer field is a level sandy area instead of grass. While the penalty area is 9 meters within the goal which is also smaller than in normal football. Two teams of five players play the game with unlimited substitutes. Each game lasts 36 minutes. They are divided into three 12-minute periods, but it is a clear playing time. This means the clock is stopped any time the game is disrupted like in basketball or ice hockey.

Draws are not allowed in the games. If the game is on level after the normal time three minutes of extra time follows it. If it’s still undecided, teams take penalties, after 5 players Sudden Death decides the result. Different types of wins have different point values. A normal-time victory is worth the most, 3 points. For every foul, players can take a direct free kick. There are no offsides.  While throw-ins can be taken with hands or feet. And as it’s football on the beach, no footwear is allowed for the players. One thing is guaranteed, the atmosphere is very chilled and often feels like a party rather than a sporting event.

Major Tournaments: FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Intercontinental Cup and Others

The first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was held in 2005 with 12 teams taking part in it. Including Eric Cantona’s French team which won the first title after defeating Portugal in the final. The events were held annually until 2009. Since then it is organized every two years with 16 teams competing in it. Like this year, when the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is held in Russia. Portugal is the defending champion but Brazil is the top favorite of the tournament of online sportsbooks in Russia. You can read more about the event and the favorites in our previous article here.

Besides the World Cups, other major events include the Intercontinental Cup, which is held every November in Dubai. It is an invitation-only tournament with the best beach soccer teams taking part in it. Like Brazil, Russia, and Iran. Regional confederations also hold continental cups. Like the Euro Beach Soccer Cup in Europe or the CAF Beach Soccer Championship in Africa. The Mundialito de Clubes is similar to the FIFA Club World Cup, where the top beach soccer clubs compete. The first five editions were held in Brazil, then they moved to Europe. Portuguese Braga and Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow both won it twice so far. But Barcelona and Brazil clubs Vasco de Gama and Corinthians also got one title. You can participate any of these tournaments betting by just clicking 1xBET Sportsbook. 

Football on the Beach: Top Teams of the Sport

Brazilian football players are famous for their amazing skills and techniques on every surface, from grass to sand. So it’s not surprising that the Brazilian national beach soccer team is the most successful team with five world cup titles. Their current squad includes some of the best players like Mauricio. He helped his team, Russian club Kristall, to win the Euro Winners Cup for the fourth time. And forwards Datinha and Rodrigo who are members of the best-attacking trio right now.

Portugal and Russia have also won the world cup twice before. It might be a bit surprising to find Russia in the best beach soccer teams, as most of us wouldn’t associate the country with sandy beaches. Russian players actually started to play the sport in a large forest park in northwest Moscow. The government began to support the sport in 2005 which led to huge progress. The national team won the world cup twice, in 2011 and 2013, and still belongs to the best teams. Following the steps of former top players, Egor Shaikov and Egor Eremeev, Boris Nikonorov can lead the team to the final. With online gambling sites in Russia offering the odds of 3.58 for the hosts’ victory.

Football on the Beach: Beach Soccer’s Worldwide Popularity

In the last few years, beach soccer has reached almost every part of the world. Even small nations such as Tahiti. The country is known for its beautiful sandy beaches offering a perfect place to practice this sport.

Their national beach soccer team was the first Pacific nation to qualify for a major FIFA event after playing in the 2013 Beach Soccer World Cup. What’s more, the team reached the final in the next two events, finishing as a runner-up on both occasions.

But the sport is also popular in other different regions from Switzerland to Iran whose teams have also achieved great results. While in the women’s version, European countries have been dominating like Spain, England, and Russia. With more and more players and teams, BSWW, the sport’s main organization aims to have beach soccer in the Olympic program. Which might come true shortly following its growing popularity.

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