The final rankings of the year have been counted and tallied and UEFA leads the top-10
After a spectacular beach soccer season, The Old Continent, holds five of the first 10 spots in the final rankings. Russia, the two-time defending Euro Beach Soccer League and FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Champions, maintain a solid grasp on the number one spot. The other European teams include, Switzerland, Portugal, who will be hosting the next World Cup in 2015, Spain, and Italy.
Brazil, number 2 overall, Iran, 6th, the UAE, 7th, El Salvador, 9th, and Argentina round out the power 10. The great year, especially in the EBSL, has solidified Spain’s spot at 5th, but just on their heels is Iran who has had a great late surge to move into 6th and the UAE, hosts and medalists of many events, have positioned themselves in 7th.
Africa has made strides in beach soccer and that is evident with the appearance of two teams, Senegal and Nigeria, making the top-20. The OFC, Oceania Football Confederation, has built on the success of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti 2013 and holds two top-20 spots as well with Tahit and the Solomon Islands. One of the most competitive confederations is Asia and they have two teams in Iran and the UAE in the top-10 and one more in the top-15 in Japan.
El Salvador, Mexico, and the USA, 9th, 11th, and 15th, respectively, are the top representatives from CONMEBOL, though they are all ready to move up with an even bigger docket of important events slated for 2015. CONCACAF is headed by the godfathers of the sport, Brazil, but quality pervades the entire continent with Argentina and Paraguay keeping all three teams in the top-12.
Stay connected through beachsoccer.com where we will have updates throughout the coming year, the most important season for beach soccer to date. Changes will abound in the rankings, where will your team finish next year? Next month? Next event?
