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The World Cup hosts will join Austria, Slovakia and Czech Republic in Linz.
The Beach Soccer Worldwide-sanctioned Nations Cup returns to Linz this weekend as the Austrian resort maintains its proud tradition as regular hosts of the competition, complete with a new addition.
Alongside Austria, regulars Slovakia and Czech Republic will take part alongside next year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosts Bahamas, who answered the call to replace Norway.
The Bahamas – ranked 56th in the world – will feature at the World Cup for the first time in Nassau in 2017 and are currently in Europe for a six-week training camp where they will work on their beach soccer development while also playing a series of friendlies and competitions, the Nations Cup being one of them.
Defending champions Czech Republic, fresh from reaching the Promotion Final via the second leg of the Euro Beach Soccer League in Sanxenxo, provide the first opposition for the men from Nassau on Saturday evening before Austria face Slovakia.
The Czechs, Germany and Tahiti have all won the competition in Linz recently while Hungary claimed the title in Prague four years ago and this year’s champions will be decided in Sunday’s final, shortly after the third-place play-off.
Bahamas Football Association Secretary General Fred Lunn said recently: “This training period will be very significant toward our preparations to compete at the top level in the world of beach soccer.
“They’ll be competing against some of the top teams in Europe and that’s going to be a good measuring stick for the guys to see where they need to be to go up against the rest of the world.
“Also, four of the teams participating are out of Europe, so it will allow [the players] to get familiarised with them. A good showing at the World Cup could significantly raise The Bahamas’ profile in the world of beach soccer. We’re six months away from the draw where they name the countries the countries that are coming.
“We have a few events prior to that and they will be on a world-class level, and I think the guys are really starting to feel what’s at stake.”
Results and standings from the 2016 Nations Cup will be available at www.beachsoccer.com.
