The final configuration of the Euro Beach Soccer League 2018 has been just announced, and it features some exciting new things that will for sure delight beach soccer fans and players. 

First thing to note about this 2018 Euro Beach Soccer League is that it will grant the seven tickets to the European Olympic Games to be held in Minsk in June 2019. Six tickets will go to the six-best ranked teams in the Superfinal, and another one will be granted to the best ranked Division B team in the Promotion Final. Belarus, as hosts of the Games, have their spot already secured.  

Besides that, it is worth highlighting that there are three new venues that join the Euro Beach Soccer League tour in this 2018 calendar: Baku (Azerbaijan), Minsk (Belarus) and Sardinia (Italy).

Old acquaintances such as Moscow will still be there, just like Nazaré (Portugal) and Warnemünde (Germany), who join again this year after their terrifically successful debut in the 2017 season. 

The Euro Beach Soccer League is set to take off in late June, this year. Baku, in Azerbaijan, host to the last Euro Beach Soccer Cup in 2014 will host this 2018 the first stage of the continental league, to be played at the European Olympic Games Stadium between 22nd and 24th.

Two Division A groups will compete in this opening stage: Portugal, Belarus, France and hosts Azerbaijan will vie in Group 1, while Italy, Switzerland, Ukraine and Germany will square off in Group 2. 

After that, the EBSL will travel to Nazaré, in Portugal. Between July 6th and 8th, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine and Turkey will come down to the Praia da Vila in fight for their spot at the season’s decider, with eight more teams, yet to be defined, squaring off in the Division B pool. 

Two weeks later, Moscow will see the debut of the defending European kings Russia, in the third stage of the Euro Beach Soccer League regular phase. Switzerland, Poland and Azerbaijan will contest the hosts in search for a place in the Superfinal. Moscow will also see the second stage of the Division B, with the teams still to be confirmed. 

After some years of learning, Minsk will make their entrance into the Euro Beach Soccer League Circus, hosting the fourth stage of the regular phase (3rd-5th August), in an event that will give Italy, Belarus, Poland and Turkey their last chances to earn the necessary points to secure a place in the Superfinal. 

Russia, Spain, France and Germany will get that last chance in Warenemünde (Germany), where the regular stage will come to an end, determining who earns the right to fight for the continental throne in the EBSL Superfinal, which is to take place in Sardinia (Italy), between the 6th and 9th August and the 2nd of September. 

And the same will work for the Division B teams, who will get to know in Germany who are the ones to fight for a Division A license at the Promotion Final, also to be held in Sardinia one week later. 

This is the final calendar:

·EBLS Baku, Azerbaijan: 22nd – 24th June 2018

·EBSL Nazaré, Portugal: 6th - 8th July 2018

·EBSL Moscow, Russia: 20th – 22nd July 2018

·EBSL Minsk, Belarus: 3rd - 5th August 2018

·EBSL Warnemünde, Germany: 24th - 26th August 2018

·EBSL Superfinal and Promotion Final Sardinia, Italy: 6th to 9th September 2018.