The Development and Growth of Beach Soccer
Worldwide
Origin
Beach Soccer originated from Brazil! The
Brazilian people's passion for football games moved from the traditional grass
pitch unto the beach. Spectacular moves were adapted to the sand, an
environment where skill improvisation, excellent physical conditioning, the
swing and natural ability that Brazilians are known for in football, outplayed.
The sun, the sea and the sand of the Copacabana
beach have made up the scenery for the creation of the Beach Soccer, a sport
full of plasticity, aerial plays, spectacular dribbles and goals… lots of
goals.
Developed by the founding partners of Beach
Soccer Worldwide, the Beach Soccer rules were established in a dynamic format,
one which causes each player's individual skills to prevail, while stressing
fair play among the athletes.
Fastest
Growing Sport
The game was originally intended as a highly
appreciated spectator sport, valuing and generating businesses in advertising
and sales. The formula has worked out. Beach Soccer has conquered the world
quickly, and is now played in 75 countries within the six FIFA Confederation
zones.
It is a sport for all audiences, played by men,
women and children alike. The scene has always been the same: Lots of sun and
heat, packed arenas, personalities from the sports world standing on the Podium
of Honor, huge queues forming before dawn for a seat to watch World
Championship finals, etc.
The participation of internationally renowned
players such as flamboyant Frenchman Eric Cantona, legendary Spanish strikers
Michel and Julio Salinas and Brazilian samba stars such as Romario, Junior and
Zico has helped to expand television coverage to large audiences in over 170
countries worldwide, making Beach Soccer one of the fastest growing sports in
the world and converting it into a major showcase for international commercial
opportunity.
Pro Beach Soccer with Great Commercial
Opportunities
Setting up the competition, the early success
of the World Championships (started by Koch Tavares) saw commercial interest
begin to match developments on the pitch, and growing demand for the sport
around the world gave rise to the Pro Beach Soccer Tour in 1996, organised by
Barcelona-based Beach Soccer Company, and later renamed Pro Beach Soccer.
The first Pro Beach Soccer Tour included a
total of 60 games across Europe, Asia and the U.S.A., attracting major names
both on and off the pitch. Interest generated by the tour in Europe led to the
creation of the Euro Beach Soccer League in 1998, providing a solid
infrastructure that would increase the professionalism of the sport on all
levels.
The EPBSL, now known as the Euro BS League,
united promoters from across the continent and satisfied the demands of the
media, sponsors and fans. Only four years on from its creation, the successful
first step in the building of a legitimate Worldwide Competition Structure for
the sport of Pro Beach Soccer had been taken.
Formation
of BSWW
Behind the scenes, key developments were also
taking place, with both founding partners joining forces to form a single
entity known as Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW). Its goal was to unify all major
Beach Soccer tournaments in the world under the same structure and to provide
sole representation of the sport to major sponsors, the media and FIFA.
A part of the FIFA family. Just over some years
ago, beach soccer became a part of the FIFA family, and in May 2005, the
first-ever FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was staged on Copacabana Beach in Rio de
Janeiro. To everyone's surprise, France defeated Portugal in the final, while
hot favorites Brazil fell in the semis.
Copa
Lagos Bring Beach Soccer Home
Copa Lagos beach Soccer tournament started in
2011, organized under the auspices of Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) tour. And
kinetic Sport marketing company in Nigeria has been able to create aware as well as draw spectators and
brands interest in such way that the tourney has turn out into one great soccer
festival for tourists and Christmas holiday makers in the city of Lagos.
It's fun for everyone at Eko Atlantic City,
venue of Copa Lagos. A time out to mingle with sport personalities around the
world. Copa Lagos has been able to attract Nigerian football legends such as
Austin Jay-jay Okocha, Victor Ikpeba, Peter Rufai... It growing fast and
getting better each year.
