All eight teams now know their opponents after Tuesday’s ceremony in Dubai.
The draw for the sixth edition of the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup took place in Dubai on Tuesday, with defending champions Russia among the teams to find out their fate.
Running from November 1st until November 5th, the competition is one of the most prestigious in the sport’s calendar, with some of the best teams from each continent going head to head for the title.
Hosts UAE were reserved spot one in Group A and will need to be on top form and after being handed a tough but exciting task after the draw at the Dubai Sports Council Headquarters.
The UAE – ranked 13th in the world – have been drawn against 2015 runners-up Tahiti, four-time FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup winners Brazil and Poland, who recently sprung a surprise by qualifying for the World Cup in the Bahamas next year.
In the other pool are three-time competition winners Russia, who will go up against the USA, as well as Iran and Egypt – the latter two finishing third and fourth respectively last year.
Speaking at the draw, Saeed Hareb, General Secretary of the Dubai Sports Council told guests: “In the Dubai Sports Council, under the patronage and guidance of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, we are happy to see the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup grow and get stronger year after year.
“We have full trust in beach soccer as a discipline and we truly believe that it is a perfect match for Dubai. Now we have the exciting challenge of making this world-class event better and better each year.”
Joan Cusco, Executive Vice-President at Beach Soccer Worldwide, added: “I would really like to thank HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and the whole Dubai Sports Council, once again, for their trust and commitment with the sport.
“For another year, Dubai becomes the centre of the beach soccer world. We are very happy that the story continues with the sixth edition of the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup – an event that everybody wants to take part in.
“The teams keep showing their interest in being a part of such a prestigious event, in such a wonderful place as Dubai, which we are proud to call our home”.
With both the Dubai Sports Council and Beach Soccer Worldwide looking forward to extending and strengthening their relationship, this year is all set to see a new chapter written in their success story.
Draw in full
Group A: UAE, Tahiti, Brazil, Poland
Group B: Russia, USA, Egypt, Iran
