STORE 
MY BEACH SOCCER 
The opening stage of the men’s Euro Beach Soccer League Division A season concluded in El Puerto de Santa María with three nations securing their places for the Superfinal in Viareggio, while qualification and relegation battles remain wide open ahead of the second regular season stage in Chișinău, Moldova, from 29 July to 2 August.
With only Groups A and B in action in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Portugal, Spain and Belarus became the first teams to guarantee their tickets to September’s season finale, leaving the remaining qualification places to be decided when Groups C and D take to the sand in Moldova.
Portugal impressed throughout the week under new head coach Bruno Torres, completing a perfect group stage campaign with victories over Belarus, Czechia and Türkiye before sealing qualification with a commanding 9-4 semi-final victory against Switzerland in the semi-finals.
Hosts Spain also secured their place in dramatic fashion. After topping Group A with wins over Switzerland, Poland and Lithuania, the European vice-champions faced Belarus in a thrilling semi-final. With the scores level deep into the final period, Spain struck with just four seconds remaining to claim a dramatic 6-4 victory and confirm their place in Viareggio.
Spain rounded off a memorable week by defeating Portugal in a penalty shoot-out to lift the Andalucía El Puerto de Santa María stage trophy after the final ended level in extra time.
The third and final Superfinal berth available in Andalucía went to Belarus, who edged Switzerland 6-4 in the bronze medal match. Ihar Bryshtsel scored the decisive goal with just eight seconds remaining to send the Belarusians to Viareggio and leave Switzerland’s fate hanging in the balance.
The Swiss must now await the outcome of the Chișinău stage to discover whether they will also qualify for the Superfinal. Their qualification scenario depends largely on hosts Italy. Should the Azzurri finish inside the top four in Moldova, or end in one of the positions that sends them to the relegation play-offs as Superfinal hosts, Switzerland will also qualify for Viareggio. However, if Italy finish fifth or sixth, the Swiss will instead have to rely on qualifying as the best fourth-placed team across the regular season.
At the opposite end of the standings, the relegation picture also became clearer. Czechia and Türkiye will contest the Division A relegation play-offs in Viareggio against the teams finishing seventh and eighth in the Chișinău stage.
Both sides missed the opportunity to secure their place at the top league, with Czechia falling 7-4 to Lithuania and Türkiye suffering a 6-0 defeat to Poland in the placement matches. Their focus now turns to September, where Division A status for 2027 will be on the line.
Attention now shifts to Chișinău, where the remaining eight Division A teams will complete the regular season and determine the final Superfinal qualifiers before Europe’s elite head to Viareggio in September.
