Our overriding goal since we qualified is to become the first U.S. team to progress beyond the group stage in the Beach Soccer World Cup. This has been the primary focus of every discussion and every training session, and it all begins with our opening match against Italy.
Currently in Fort Lauderdale for a training camp, the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team eagerly awaited the live draw following their morning practice. Representing the team at the draw ceremony in Dubai was Morgan Church, the head coach of the U.S. Women’s Beach Soccer National Team and an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s team at the 2021 Beach Soccer World Cup.
Originally scheduled for November 2023, FIFA rescheduled the tournament to take place from February 15 to February 25, 2024. This competition will feature 16 nations grouped into four sets of four teams. The top two finishers from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, leading to a knockout round format concluding with the grand final on Sunday, February 25.
2024 FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP GROUPS
Group A | Country/Region | Flag |
---|---|---|
1 | United Arab Emirates | ![]() |
2 | Egypt | ![]() |
3 | USA | ![]() |
4 | Italy | ![]() |
Group B | Country/Region | Flag |
1 | Spain | ![]() |
2 | IR Iran | ![]() |
3 | Oman | ![]() |
4 | Belarus | ![]() |
Group C | Country/Region | Flag |
1 | Senegal | |
2 | Brazil | ![]() |
3 | Tahiti | ![]() |
4 | Portugal | ![]() |
Group D | Country/Region | Flag |
1 | Colombia | ![]() |
2 | Argentina | ![]() |
3 | Japan | ![]() |
4 | Mexico | ![]() |
Should the USA team advance to the quarterfinals, they will face a team from Group B. Teams were placed in pots based on their performance in past Beach Soccer World Cups, with more recent results holding greater weight. United Arab Emirates and Japan, as the hosts and 2021 runner-up, respectively, were automatically placed in Pot 1. The remaining pots were allocated as follows:
Pot Assignments:
- Pot 1:
- UAE
- Brazil
- Tahiti
- Japan
- Pot 2
- Italy
- Senegal
- Portugal
- IR Iran
- Pot 3
- Spain
- Oman
- USA
- Belarus
- Pot 4
- Argentina
- Mexico
- Colombia
- Egypt
This event marks the 12th FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and the 22nd world championship for beach soccer. Before FIFA assumed control of the tournament in 2005, it was known as the Beach Soccer World Championships, running annually from 1995 to 2004. The USA achieved second place in the 1995 edition and third and fourth places in 1996 and 1997, respectively. In 2009, FIFA transitioned the tournament from an annual to a biennial schedule.
Group A Overview (Based on Beach Soccer Worldwide World Ranking):
USA (No. 13): This year, the United States secured its seventh FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification by winning the 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship, where they defeated their rivals, Mexico, 5-0 in the final. This victory marked the USA’s third confederation title and its first since 2013. The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team is under the guidance of Francis Farberoff, a former player who earned over 100 caps for the United States during the World Championship and FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup era. Despite their rich history, the USA holds a 3-14 all-time record at the Beach Soccer World Cup. They aspire not only to advance from the group stage but also to secure their first World Cup victory since their triumph over the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
ITALY (No. 9): Italy returns to the Beach Soccer World Cup after missing the 2021 edition. They earned their spot by winning the 2023 UEFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifiers. The Azzuri have reached the semifinals four times and were runners-up twice, losing to Brazil in the 2008 final and Portugal in the 2019 title match. Notably, this will be the first official match between the USA and Italy in the FIFA Beach Soccer era, although they did meet at the 2003 Beach Soccer World Championships, with the USA narrowly losing 5-4 during the group stage.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (No. 10): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will participate in their eighth FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Like the USA, their primary goal is to advance from the group stage, something they have yet to achieve. Interestingly, the USA and UAE have previously faced each other on four occasions in men’s beach soccer, with a balanced record of 2-2. The teams last met in the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai in 2021, where UAE emerged victorious. This marks the fourth consecutive World Cup in which the USA has been drawn into the same group as the host nation.
EGYPT (No. 24): Egypt, one of two nations making their debut in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, secured their place by finishing as runners-up in the 2022 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations. The match against Egypt will be the second-ever meeting between the two countries in men’s beach soccer. Egypt secured a 5-3 victory during the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai in 2016, with Nick Perera scoring all three goals for the USA.
As the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team embarks on this historic journey, we invite you to stay updated by visiting BusinessIn.ae. Please like, share, and subscribe to our website for more exciting updates as we aim to make history at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.