Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup

Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup
Organising bodyBSWW
DSC
Founded2011
RegionInternational (FIFA)
Number of teams8
Current champions Iran (4th title)
Most successful team(s)Iran Iran
 Russia
(each with 4 titles)
WebsiteBSWW
2022 Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup

The Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup is an international beach soccer tournament which is held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates every November as the finale of the competitive international beach soccer season. The invitation-only tournament has been held annually since the inaugural edition in 2011.[1]

The Intercontinental Cup is second only to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup as the largest and most prestigious event on the international beach soccer circuit,[2] featuring an exclusive assembly of the world's very best national teams from each continent. Since the World Cup is a biannual competition, this event is now the most important annual international beach soccer tournament.[3]

The competition bares many similarities to the FIFA Confederations Cup in association football,[4] with each of the six confederations of FIFA (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC) represented by at least one nation,[5] however is not so strict on entry requirements – those countries competing do not necessarily have to be regional champions, but nevertheless will still be one of the best performing nations from their confederation's most recent regional championship.[6][7] The tournament hosts and reigning World Cup champions also take part, taking the total number of participants to eight.

Samsung was the lead sponsor and presenting partner of the tournament from its inception until 2016. Huawei became new lead sponsors for 2017–18.[8] The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) organise the competition.[9]

Russia and Iran are the most successful teams, having won four tournaments each. Iran is also the current champions.

  1. ^ "Спортивный совет Дубая принял решение о проведении Межконтинентального кубка до 2020 года - BeachSoccerRussia". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  2. ^ "Intercontinental Cup Dubai agreement extended". 2 November 2017.
  3. ^ "BAREFOOT: The Beach Soccer Mag".
  4. ^ "У стен Башни Халифа. Россия хочет покорить сердце Дубая - BeachSoccerRussia". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  5. ^ "Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup 2015 only hours away". 2 November 2015.
  6. ^ "По заветам Штирлица. 6-й Межконтинентальный кубок стартует в Дубае - BeachSoccerRussia". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  7. ^ "Али Омар: организаторам выгодно, чтобы победитель менялся каждый год - BeachSoccerRussia". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  8. ^ "Huawei, official sponsor of the Intercontinental Cup". 27 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup draw held". 4 October 2016.