São Paulo FC and Al Ahli join the competition as draw sets groups ready for opening at May 12th at the Arena Guarapiranga
The II edition of the Mundialito de Clubes will boast a significant growth to get this amusing competition even a step further. Two new clubs, the paulista side Sao Paulo FC and UAE Al Ahli will jump onboard this historic event to have an even wider representation of top-flight clubs from Brazil and around the world at the Arena de Guarapiranga (São Paulo). These two iconic squads join the pioneers in the competition FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Corinthians, Boca Juniors, Sporting Portugal, Lokomotiv Moscow, Flamengo, Santos and Seattle Sounders, and become two new menaces for title-holders Vasco da Gama in their dream of reediting the Cup.
Just as last year, the Mundialito the Clubes will get a huge attention from Beach Soccer lovers all over the world. Beyond a packed 4.000-seater stadium, the action will travel to millions of households worldwide, after the agreement with 20 broadcasters from South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and the Caribbean Region, including big networks such as Rede Globo, ESPN, Fox Sports, Al Jazeera, and many others.
The Official Draw, held this afternoon (1pm GMT) at Beach Soccer Worldwide Headquarters in Barcelona, has set the following distribution of the teams into the three groups:
Group A
CR Vasco da Gama
Santos FC
Milan AC
CA Boca Juniors
Group B
CR Flamengo
Sao Paulo FC
FC Barcelona
Seattle Sounders FC
Group C
SC Corinthians
Sporting Clube Portugal
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
Al-Ahli FC
Draft to complete the squads
The participation of the best players in the world is absolutely secured, and Beach Soccer fans will enjoy the likes of Madjer, Amarelle, Buru, Bruno Malias, Stankovic, Meier, Jorginho, André, Belchior, Leonov, and many others. The complete squads will be known after the Draft procedure, to be held this same Wednesday at Beach Soccer Worldwide headquarters, with the final confirmation of the squads on Saturday, April 28th, after last-minute transfers. The shape of the teams, though, will not suffer dramatic modifications compared to last edition, with the core of each team staying the same.
Just as it happened last year, the Draft procedure secures all the teams to have balanced options to the title, bringing a benefit-for-all hard-fought competition. For this to happen in the fairest way, the draft follows a strict regulation. Following geographical, national and continental criteria, all teams secure a significant national identity, as they become the representatives of Beach Soccer in their country and their continent, at the time they bank on a leveled, powerful and competitive lineup.
