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The launch event brought together local officials and beach soccer representatives to outline the scale of the competition, which will welcome 48 teams from 32 countries to Alanya from 26 October to 1 November
The World Winners Cup Alanya 2026 was presented to the local media this Tuesday 13 October, with city and regional authorities joining beach soccer representatives to discuss the preparations for the upcoming competition and its role in strengthening Alanya’s position as an international sports tourism destination.
The tournament will return to its birthplace for the first time since 2019, bringing together 48 clubs from 32 countries across five continents to compete for the men’s and women’s titles. The event will take place from 26 October to 1 November at the 23 Projects Alanya International Beach Sports Centre.
The launch was attended by Şakir Öner Öztürk, Alanya District Governor; Yavuz Gürhan, Antalya Provincial Director of Youth and Sports; Osman Tarık Özçelik, Mayor of Alanya; Adil Müftüoğlu, former national beach soccer player and coach; and Ferit Yücel Ergün, former captain of the Turkish national beach soccer team.
Organised in partnership with Beach Soccer Worldwide and ERG Danışmanlık ve Organizasyon A.Ş., the event is supported by Alanya Municipality, the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV) and the Alanya Hoteliers Association (ALTİD), with the approval of the Alanya District Governor’s Office and the Turkish Football Federation.
Local authorities highlight Alanya’s sports tourism ambitions
During the presentation, the authorities underlined the importance of cooperation between public institutions, sporting organisations and local stakeholders in delivering international events and developing Alanya’s profile as a sports destination.
Alanya District Governor Şakir Öner Öztürk highlighted the city’s experience in hosting national and international sporting events, stressing that successful organisation and long-term cooperation are essential to strengthening its international reputation.
Yavuz Gürhan, Antalya Provincial Director of Youth and Sports, pointed to the contribution that sporting events can make to regional promotion and tourism diversification. He also emphasised the ambition to build on the World Winners Cup over three consecutive years and establish a sustainable platform capable of attracting increasing numbers of athletes and spectators.
Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik said the municipality was prioritising sports tourism as a way to diversify the city’s tourism offering. He highlighted the collective effort behind the development of the facilities and noted that the participation of 48 teams from 32 countries represented an important step towards consolidating Alanya’s position on the international sports tourism calendar. Özçelik also underlined the media’s role in bringing the city’s sporting and tourism potential to wider audiences.
A long-held ambition for Turkish beach soccer
The presentation also featured contributions from Adil Müftüoğlu, former national beach soccer player and coach, and Ferit Yücel Ergün, former captain of the Turkish national team.
Müftüoğlu recalled the long-standing ambition to bring major international beach soccer competitions to Alanya, pointing to the city’s history in the sport, including the staging of Türkiye’s first beach soccer league in 2006. He welcomed the opportunity to host the World Winners Cup for three consecutive years and expressed the hope that the event would continue to grow.
Ergün highlighted the tournament’s potential to increase Alanya’s international visibility, with global broadcasts and digital coverage offering an opportunity to showcase the city to audiences around the world. Both former players stressed the importance of building on the 2026 edition to attract more teams in future years.
World Winners Cup returns to its birthplace
First held in Alanya in 2019, the World Winners Cup subsequently moved to Italy, with editions staged in Cagliari in 2022, Alghero in 2023 and 2024, and Catania in 2025. The 2026 edition will bring the competition back to Alanya after a seven-year gap.
The tournament will feature 32 men’s teams competing across eight groups and 16 women’s teams across four groups.
Matches will be played across three pitches at the 23 Projects Alanya International Beach Sports Centre, a facility covering approximately 14,000 square metres and offering seating for 3,300 spectators.
With teams, athletes, technical staff and media representatives arriving from across the world, the event is expected to contribute to local economic activity while helping promote Alanya’s sporting, cultural and tourism offer beyond the traditional summer season.
Goal Alanya unveiled as the official tournament mascot
The launch also highlighted the official mascot of World Winners Cup Alanya 2026, Goal Alanya, a figure inspired by the city’s historical and cultural heritage.
Representing the Alanya Goat, a symbol rooted in the Seljuk period and associated with Yörük culture, the mascot embodies strength, endurance, tenacity and determination. Its introduction brings a distinctive local identity to the international competition, connecting the tournament with the traditions and heritage of its host city.
