The Superfinal and Promotion Final both get under way on Thursday morning in Sicily.
The final 32 games of the Euro Beach Soccer League 2016 will be played over the course of the next four days as both the Superfinal and Promotion Final get under way in Catania on Thursday.
Following three stages across Moscow, Sanxenxo and Siofok, eight teams retain hopes of being crowned European champions while one of the other eight can jump up to the top tier.
With each division split into two groups, the winners in Division A progress to the Superfinal while the table-toppers from Division B will contest the Promotion Final.
Hosts Italy will compete in Division A, Group Two alongside Portugal, Russia and Switzerland, while the remainder of Division A sees Belarus, Germany, Ukraine and Spain meet in Group One.
Looking to avoid an immediate return to the second tier are Romania, grouped with Moldova, Hungary and Estonia, while Czech Republic, Turkey, England and Azerbaijan will also harbour hopes of promotion.
While many will tip the world’s top two, defending champions Portugal and Russia, to claim this year’s prize, hosts Italy have been in fine form this season and boast one of the sport’s most in-form forwards in the Gabriele Gori.
And, speaking on Wednesday, national coach Massimo Agostini was bullish over his side’s chances of adding to their solitary Euro Beach Soccer League title in 2005.
The coach told a news conference in Catania: “We have trained hard to reach this Superfinal in the best possible condition.
“We have been thoroughly following our players all through the season, at all the national championship venues, and we think we have the best team we can here.
“It will be very important to begin this Superfinal in a good manner, as the group we have been drawn in is very difficult. But our first objective is to win the first game, and after that, let’s see.”
