FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
Founded | 1995 |
---|---|
Region | International (FIFA) |
Number of teams |
16 (finals) 70 (qualifiers for 2013) |
Current champions | Russia (2nd title) |
Most successful team(s) | Brazil (4 titles) |
Website | World Cup |
The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is a bi-annual international beach soccer competition contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA, the sport's global governing body. The tournament has taken place every year since its establishment in 1995, when it was originally supervised by Beach Soccer World Wide (BSWW) and was called the Beach Soccer World Championship. Due to the sport's rapid growth, FIFA took over the organization of the competition in 2005 and rebranded it as an official FIFA tournament. As of 2009, the tournament takes place every two years to allow continental tournaments to flourish without the burden of the World Cup qualifiers crowding the schedule. The growing global popularity of beach soccer resulted in FIFA's decision to move the stage of the World Cup from Brazil, its native home, to other parts of the globe. The first edition held outside Brazil was in 2008 in Marseille, France.
The current format of the tournament lasts over a week and involves 16 teams competing initially in four groups of four teams. The group winners and runners-up advance to a series of knockout stages until the final. The losing semifinalist teams play each other in a 3rd place play-off match to determine the third-placed team. The most recent edition, the 2013 World Cup, was held in Papeete, French Polynesia, and crowned Russia as champions for the second consecutive time, after defeating Spain 5–1.
History
Foundation
The first Beach Soccer World Cup was held in Brazil, in 1995, organised by the founders of the standardised rules, Beach Soccer Worldwide, held under the title Beach Soccer World Championship. Eight teams were selected to take part, without going through a qualification process. However Brazil, the hosts, dominated and easily won the cup without losing a game. The tournament was successful and BSWW announced that the competition would take place every year.
Growth worldwide
By 1997, more teams had already stated their interest in participating and therefore BSWW extended their selection to 10 teams for 1998. Brazil continued to dominate, despite this change. Immediately, BSWW extended to 12 teams for 1999, spreading their selection across five continents, introducing more new teams to the tournament. However with all these changes it still took until the 2001 World Cup for Brazil to lose the title after winning the competition six years on the run since the establishment. It was Portugal who won the tournament, with Brazil finishing in a disappointing fourth place.
With this change of champions, more countries thought there was a chance for themselves to win the tournament and this sparked more interest worldwide. Not surprisingly, Brazil reclaimed their title in 2002, when BSWW reduced the number of contestants back to eight. The last Beach Soccer World Championship to be organised purely by BSWW was in 2004 when twelve teams played, seven from Europe.
FIFA Era
In 2005, FIFA paired up with BSWW to co-organise the World Cup, although FIFA seem to have the most control. They kept the tradition of holding the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro and continued to allow 12 teams to participate, following on from the 2004 competition. It was Eric Cantona's France that won the competition, after beating Portugal on penalties in the final. The tournament was deemed a major success and therefore FIFA took advantage. For the 2006 competition and beyond, FIFA decided to standardise the participants to 16 countries. It was then that the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifiers were also established, that would take place throughout the year. Again this decision was a successful one and more countries became interested in a now standard FIFA competition.
Extending the World Cup
By the end of the 2007 World Cup, the tournament had become very popular throughout the world, with the FIFA board taking over the competition, driving more countries to recognize beach soccer as a major sport. Since the World Cup had become a success worldwide, FIFA decided to have a change of venue. It was voted, to extend the sport's popularity, the 2008 World Cup would take place in Marseille, France, and the 2009 World Cup would take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These tournaments would be the first to take place outside Brazil. The 2008 competition was once again a major success, despite being held in a different country. This was the first time that Brazil would have to qualify for the tournament, since they weren't the hosts. However Brazil won the qualifiers and the World Cup in July. The 2009 World Cup in Dubai was an even bigger success, as the second competition outside Brazil and the Beach Soccer World Cup's 15th birthday, Brazil continued their dominance.
Two year basis
Just before the final of the 2009 World Cup, FIFA announced that a new format would see the World Cup now take place every two years, starting from the 2011 World Cup. FIFA justified the decision by stating that they wanted Confederations to have more time to develop the sport, therefore allowing a year in between World Cups for Confederations to organise their own local tournaments. This was a mutual decision between Confederations and FIFA.[1] In March 2010 FIFA confirmed that the 2011 World Cup would take place in Italy and the 2013 World Cup would take place in Tahiti.[2]
Qualification
From 1995 to 2005 (inclusive), teams were selected for the World Cup; they did not have to qualify. However with the interest from so many countries, FIFA decided to standardise the format for the World Cup in 2006 for future World Cups. FIFA agreed that countries from each confederation will play in FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifiers, with 16 teams eventually qualifying for the finals. The number of countries qualifying from each confederation would always be the same as the table shows below:
Confederation | Continent | Amount of countries qualifying |
---|---|---|
UEFA | Europe | 5 teams |
CONMEBOL | South America | 3 teams |
AFC | Asia | 3 teams |
CAF | Africa | 2 teams |
CONCACAF | North, Central America and the Caribbean | 2 teams |
OFC | Oceania | 1 team |
Total | 16 teams |
Qualification continues to be the same. Note that the host countries' continent loses one qualification spot. E.g. since the 2011 World Cup was held in Italy, they automatically qualified as a European team. Therefore in the Euro Beach Soccer Word Cup Qualifiers, only four teams qualified to join the hosts, Italy.
Results
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups
Two Year Basis
Year | Location | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Number of teams |
Player of the tournament |
Top goalscorer(s) |
Best goalkeeper |
Goals scored (average per game) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 Details |
Bahamas | 16 | |||||||||
2015 Details |
Praia da Baía, Espinho, Portugal | 16 | |||||||||
2013 Details |
Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia | Russia |
Spain |
Brazil |
Tahiti |
16 | Bruno Xavier (BRA) | 11 goals Dmitrii Shishin (RUS) |
Dona (ESP) | 243 (7.6) | |
2011 Details |
Marina di Ravenna, Ravenna, Italy | Russia |
Brazil |
Portugal |
El Salvador |
16 | Ilya Leonov (RUS) | 14 goals André (BRA) |
Andrey Bukhlitskiy (RUS) | 269 (8.4) |
Yearly Basis
Year | Location | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Number of teams |
Player of the tournament |
Top goalscorer(s) |
Best goalkeeper |
Goals scored (average per game) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 Details |
Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Brazil |
Switzerland |
Portugal |
Uruguay |
16 | Dejan Stankovic (SUI) | 16 goals Dejan Stankovic (SUI) |
Mão (BRA) | 269 (8.7) | |
2008 Details |
Plage du Prado, Marseille, France | Brazil |
Italy |
Portugal |
Spain |
16 | Amarelle (ESP) | 13 goals Madjer (POR) |
Roberto Valeiro (ESP) | 258 (8.3) | |
2007 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Mexico |
Uruguay |
France |
16 | Buru (BRA) | 10 goals Buru (BRA) |
Not awarded | 261 (8.2) | |
2006 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Uruguay |
France |
Portugal |
16 | Madjer (POR) | 21 goals Madjer (POR) |
Not awarded | 286 (8.9) | |
2005 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | France |
Portugal |
Brazil |
Japan |
12 | Madjer (POR) | 12 goals Madjer (POR) |
Not awarded | 164 (8.2) |
Beach Soccer World Championships
Year | Location | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Number of teams |
Player(s) of the tournament |
Top goalscorer(s) |
Best goalkeeper |
Goals scored (average per game) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2004 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Spain |
Portugal |
Italy |
12 | Jorginho (BRA) | 12 goals Madjer (POR) |
Roberto (ESP) | 155 (7.8) | |
2003 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Spain |
Portugal |
France |
8 | Amarelle (ESP) | 15 goals Neném (BRA) |
Robertinho (BRA) | 150 (9.4) | |
2002 Details |
Vitória, Espírito Santo and Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil |
Brazil |
Portugal |
Uruguay |
Thailand |
8 | Neném (BRA) | 9 goals Neném (BRA) Madjer (POR) Nico (URU) |
Normcharoen (THA) | 145 (9.1) | |
2001 Details |
Costa do Sauípe, Bahia, Brazil | Portugal |
France |
Argentina |
Brazil |
12 | Hernâni (POR) | 10 goals Alan (POR) |
Olmeta (FRA) | 144 (7.2) | |
2000 Details |
Marina da Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Peru |
Spain |
Japan |
12 | Júnior (BRA) | 13 goals Júnior (BRA) |
Kato (JPN) | 172 (8.6) | |
1999 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Portugal |
Uruguay |
Peru |
12 | Jorginho (BRA) | 10 goals Júnior (BRA) Matosas (URU) |
Pedro Crespo (POR) | 186 (9.3) | |
1998 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
France |
Uruguay |
Peru |
10 | Júnior (BRA) | 14 goals Júnior (BRA) |
Paulo Sérgio (BRA) | 219 (9.1) | |
1997 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Uruguay |
United States |
Argentina |
8 | Júnior (BRA) | 11 goals Júnior (BRA) Ramos (URU) |
Paulo Sérgio (BRA) | 144 (9.0) | |
1996 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
Uruguay |
Italy |
United States |
8 | Edinho (BRA) | 14 goals Altobelli (ITA) |
Paulo Sérgio (BRA) | 131 (8.2) | |
1995 Details |
Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Brazil |
United States |
England |
Italy |
8 | Zico (BRA) Júnior (BRA) |
12 goals Zico (BRA) Altobelli (ITA) |
Paulo Sérgio (BRA) | 149 (9.3) |
Successful national teams
In all, 38 nations have played in at least one World Beach Soccer Cup. Of these, only four nations have won the World Cup in 15 years. Brazil have won 13 World Cups and clearly dominate. Portugal won in 2001. France won in the first FIFA sanctioned tournament in 2005. Brazil is the only nation to have played in every World Cup to date.
Team | Titles | Runners-up | Third-place | Fourth-place |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brazil | 13 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) | 1 (2011) | 2 (2005, 2013) | 1 (2001) |
Russia | 2 (2011, 2013) | - | - | - |
Portugal | 1 (2001) | 3 (1999, 2002, 2005) | 5 (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011) | 1 (2006) |
France | 1 (2005) | 2 (1998, 2001) | 1 (2006) | 2 (2003, 2007) |
Uruguay | - | 3 (1996, 1997, 2006) | 4 (1998, 1999, 2002, 2007) | 1 (2009) |
Spain | - | 3 (2003, 2004, 2013) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2008) |
Italy | - | 1 (2008) | 1 (1996) | 2 (1995, 2004) |
United States | - | 1 (1995) | 1 (1997) | 1 (1996) |
Peru | - | 1 (2000) | - | 2 (1998, 1999) |
Mexico | - | 1 (2007) | - | - |
Switzerland | - | 1 (2009) | - | - |
Argentina | - | - | 1 (2001) | 1 (1997) |
England | - | - | 1 (1995) | - |
Japan | - | - | - | 2 (2000, 2005) |
El Salvador | - | - | - | 1 (2011) |
Tahiti | - | - | - | 1 (2013) |
Thailand | - | - | - | 1 (2002) |
Tournament appearances as of 2015
Since the tournament's establishment in 1995, as of the 2015 World Cup, 42 different countries have participated over the 18 competitions. However only one country has participated in all World Cups, which is Brazil, who have won 4 out 6 FIFA World Cup. European teams have dominated in appearances by continent, since 14 of the 42 different countries have been from Europe. Since qualification has been standardized, fewer new countries are expected to make an appearance.
Appearances | Country |
---|---|
18 | Brazil |
15 | Uruguay Italy Argentina Portugal |
14 | Spain |
13 | United States |
12 | France Japan |
7 | Russia |
6 | Iran |
5 | Peru El Salvador Solomon Islands Senegal |
4 | Germany United Arab Emirates Nigeria Mexico Switzerland |
3 | Canada Venezuela Ukraine Tahiti |
2 | Bahrain South Africa Thailand Cameroon Ivory Coast Netherlands Costa Rica Oman Paraguay |
1 | Australia Belgium Chile Denmark England Malaysia Poland Turkey Madagascar |
References
External links
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