STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
The first-ever edition kicks off this Thursday
The Matteo Valenti Beach Stadium is set to host Europe’s brightest young talents as the U20 Euro Beach Soccer Cup Viareggio 2026 gets underway this Thursday.
Italy, Portugal, Spain, Czechia, Belgium and England will all take part in this historic first edition, with teams completing their official training sessions today to fine-tune preparations ahead of the competition.
The tournament was officially presented at the stadium during a press conference attended by key authorities, all of whom underlined the importance of this milestone moment for the sport.
Rodolfo Salemi, Councillor for Sport of Viareggio, welcomed the event back to the city:
“It is a pleasure to see the return of Beach Soccer to Viareggio following the Superfinal in 2025. Congratulations to Viareggio Beach Soccer for once again bringing European teams here for this first edition. The municipality is fully committed to supporting the success and promotion of the event. We hope these young players can fulfil their dream of representing their national teams and inspire future generations, helping to make Viareggio a true capital of beach soccer.”
Gabino Renales, Vice-President of Beach Soccer Worldwide, highlighted the long-term vision behind the competition:
“We thank the city of Viareggio, Viareggio Beach Soccer, the Italian Football Federation and LND for always believing in the sport. The U20 category is crucial to show young players that there is a future for them, that federations believe in their development. This marks a new chapter for beach soccer, and we hope to see this project grow with more teams in future editions — including a women’s competition.”
Ferdinando Arcopinto, Head of Delegation for the FIGC, emphasised the role of youth competitions:
“The U20 level is essential as a pathway for players to reach the senior national teams. We must thank the federations for their commitment to developing both youth and women’s beach soccer. Viareggio, known worldwide for its tourism, continues to show great belief and investment in the sport. Viareggio Beach Soccer is like a turtle — producing many ‘little turtles’ that feed Italian beach soccer, but instead of heading to the sea, they remain on the sand.”
Stefano Santini, Technical Director of Viareggio Beach Soccer, also shared his pride in hosting the event:
“We are grateful to the Municipality, BSWW and FIGC for their support. We were proud to host the EBSL Superfinal in September, but we are even more so now to host this U20 Euro Beach Soccer Cup, which truly reflects the values of Matteo Valenti. Over 20 years ago, this journey began here, inspired by legends like Madjer, and today we continue to develop players who have grown up on these sands since the age of six or seven. This event will remain in history as the first U20 competition held in Viareggio.”
Group A features Italy, Spain and Belgium, while Group B includes Portugal, Czechia and England.
The winners of each group will face the runners-up of the opposite group in the semi-finals, while the two third-placed teams will play a two-match series to determine fifth place in the final standings.
The U20 Euro Beach Soccer Cup Viareggio 2026 will be streamed live on BeachSoccerTV.com, bringing fans around the world closer to the future stars of the sport.
