Euro Winners Cup 2015 to be biggest yet

The third edition of the elite club tournament graces Catania again, has expanded, and will provide even more action and the highest level of beach soccer

Catania, Italy will be the host for the second straight year for the Euro Winners Cup. The 2014 version was a roaring success and this year will only improve on the momentum started with the inaugural edition in 2013, also in Italy but in San Benedetto del Tronto. Last year there were thrills from start to finish and it was the Russian club BSC Kristall who triumphed as champion in 2014. Not coincidently, it was another Russian club, BSC Lokomotiv Moscow, who won the inaugural event, but they were upended in 2014 and were unable to defend their crown.

Defeating the opposition in an event as prominent as this one is never easy, and while Kristall may remain favourites to do so, it wil be even more difficult this year as the number of teams has expanded even more. The quality of beach soccer has been steadily increasing over the entire continent, and this is event, which is in a similar vein as the Champions League, is proof of that. Countries from all over the Old Continent have built and expanded their national leagues, thusly providing an even better product in the acclaimed club level events. 

As always, this is an extremely unique event that will take place over six days, from the 2nd to the 7th of June and the Sicilian town is more than ready for the upcoming excitement. The next step in the process is the Official Draw, which will take place on Friday, May 22nd at the the Auditorium dell’Istituto Comprensivo Musco of Catania in the Librino district. Following the draw, which will settle all the teams into their respective groups and lay the groundwork for the on-field action to take place in a few short weeks, the teams will begin practice and training sessions in Catania at the picturesque Lido Azzurro Catania beach.

The draw will pull from 28 teams and they are as follows:

Catania BS (Host Country) – ITA

Milano BS (Host Country)- ITA

ASD Sambenedettese BS (Host Country)- ITA 

BSC Lokomotiv Moscow – RUS (Russia)

Murcia – ESP (Spain)

Mani BS Club – GRE (Greece)

FC Vybor – UKR (Ukraine)

Bate Borisov – BLR (Belarus)

BS Bohemians 1905 – CZE (Czech Republic)

BSC Kristall – RUS (Russia)

CS Djoker – MDA (Moldova)

Amrahbank – AZE (Azerbaijan)

Goldwin Plus – HUN (Hungary)

KP Lodz – POL (Poland)

A.S Constanta – ROU (Romania)

Montpellier BS – FRA (France)

FC Odesos – BUL (Bulgaria)

Portsmouth BSC – ENG (England)

BS Chemnitz – GER (Germany)

LSA Chaudfontaine  – BEL (Belgium)

SC Braga – POR (Portugal)

Antalyaspor – TUR (Turkey)

Peugeot – EST (Estonia)

Ushkyn-Iskra – KAZ (Kazakhstan)

Dinamo Batumi – GEO (Georgia)

BSC Sable Dancers Bern – SUI (Switzlerland)

Bala Azul  – ESP (Spain)