FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup headed back to UAE

The FIFA Council appointed Dubai as the host of next year’s Beach Soccer World Cup, marking the return of the prestigious tournament to the UAE.

The decision on this was taken at the 21st FIFA Council meeting held in Doha on Tuesday.

Seychelles is set to host its first-ever FIFA tournament in three years’ time, with the FIFA Council also awarding hosting rights for the 2025 edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup to the island nation.

Dubai played host to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2009 and, 14 years on, the tournament will return to the Arab world for its 12th edition.

Subsequently, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will arrive in Africa for the first time for edition No.13.

With Seychelles securing hosting rights for the tournament, a nation from every confederation will have organised the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the 20 years since the inaugural tournament in Brazil in 2005.

In 2025 the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is set to be staged in Victoria, on the island of Mahé, surrounded by crystal clear waters and coral reefs.

Following the FIFA Council meeting in Qatar, the FIFA Director of Tournaments, Jaime Yarza, also congratulated Dubai and Seychelles for being appointed as hosts for the next two FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups.

“This is a very exciting moment for Beach Soccer as it is the first time that FIFA has simultaneously appointed hosts for two editions of the tournament,” Yarza said.

FIFA Director of Tournaments, Jaime Yarza. Image: FIFA

“We are delighted to go back to the UAE where FIFA hosted one of the best Beach Soccer tournaments in history in 2009.

“At the same time, in 2025 the Seychelles will be hosting its first FIFA tournament, which will complete the tour of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup being hosted in all six confederations,” he said.

Yarza said 63 million viewers around the globe watched the last edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2021, with each match securing an average viewership of over 2.2 million viewers.

“This was an enormous increase compared to the previous edition in 2019, so we are confident that in 2023 and 2025 the focus on, and passion for, Beach Soccer will increase again,” he said.

The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup promises goals galore – in 2021, the tournament recorded an average of 9.4 goals per match, the highest goals per match ratio of any FIFA tournament in history.

Key dates and further information regarding the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2023, and 2025, will be released by FIFA in due course.