Beach soccer is a popular sport and one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It is a derivative of association football and is played on a sand ‘pitch’ that is smaller than the field used for regular football.
Unlike conventional football, it is played with a minimum of shoes and players are allowed to wear shinguards and ankle guards. The sand surface is softer than that of conventional football, requiring a different style of play with a greater degree of improvisation.
The game is played in three periods, each 12 minutes long. During the first period, the teams score by knocking the ball into the opposing team’s goal. The teams then switch sides during the second period and play the third and final period.
Each team is comprised of five players, with an unlimited number of rolling substitutions. Substitutions can be made in a variety of ways, including goal clearances and throw-ins. The game is also played on a smaller field than traditional football, with goals measuring around 18×7 feet.
Beach Soccer is a fast-paced game and can be played in both indoor and outdoor environments. It is a spectator sport and is popular amongst a diverse group of fans.
It is the most popular sport in the United States, with over 1 million people attending events each year. In addition, the US has a men’s national beach soccer team and a women’s national team that competes in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
In 1992, Giancarlo Signorini founded Beach Soccer Worldwide and established a set of rules that were codified in 2000. These rules have helped put the sport on the international scene and are credited by FIFA as being instrumental in its growth.
BSWW is a key player in the development and organisation of beach soccer tournaments across the globe, mainly between national teams. It is a founding member of FIFA and was recognized by the governing body as the main entity responsible for beach soccer’s growth and evolution.
As an international sport, beach soccer is a rapidly growing business opportunity for sponsors and advertisers, as well as a major attraction for large audiences. The demand for international events has led to BSWW striking major sponsorship deals with internationally renowned brands such as McDonalds, Coca-Cola and MasterCard.
The organisation was formed in response to a growing need for a single unified competition structure, and has become an integral part of the development of Pro Beach Soccer. The first Pro Beach Soccer Tour included a total of 60 games in two years across South America, Europe and Asia and drew major attention to the sport both on and off the pitch.
By the end of the first tour in 1998, a European Pro Beach Soccer League (EPBSL) was created that united promoters from across the continent and satisfied the needs of sponsors and fans alike. The EPBSL, which is now known as the Euro BS League, is regarded as the world’s premier beach soccer competition and has played a leading role in enhancing the professionalism of the sport.