AI-generated illustration

The Beach Soccer World Club Championship will bring together 48 teams from 33 countries across five continents in Alanya, a district of Antalya, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, hosting about 1,000 athletes.

Adil Müftüoğlu, head coach of Serenity Alanya Belediyespor and a former player and coach of the national beach soccer team, said the tournament will be held with the backing of Alanya Municipality, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Alanya District Governor's Office.

Alanya returns as host

Müftüoğlu told an AA reporter that Alanya has experience staging international sports events and that the city will continue to host beach soccer competitions. Beach soccer has been played in Turkey in league format since 2006 under the Turkish Football Federation.

The championship was first held in Alanya in 2019, Müftüoğlu recalled, and the event was brought back to the city thanks to its modern facilities and strong infrastructure. Preparations are intense, he said, and the club hopes to bring the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup to Alanya in the future in addition to club-level events.

Matches to air worldwide

Games will be broadcast on TRT Spor and FIFA's internet channel, Müftüoğlu said. From the quarterfinals onward, matches will be shown live on television in more than 70 countries.

Müftüoğlu said the tournament will contribute to sports tourism and to promoting Alanya, and that leading beach soccer players from around the world will compete in the event.

Host club eyes strong group stage

Assessing Serenity Alanya Belediyespor's chances, Müftüoğlu said the club has achieved notable results internationally in the past. He said the favorites will become clearer once squads are confirmed, since each team is allowed three foreign players.

"Once the squads are settled, the favorites will be clear, but we consider ourselves the favorite in the group stage," Müftüoğlu said.

Group A schedule

Serenity Alanya Belediyespor will play BSC BetVam of Bulgaria on Monday, Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m., Batum SC of Georgia on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 3:30 p.m., and C.Y. Limn of Costa Rica on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 3:30 p.m.

Key takeaways

• 48 teams from 33 countries across five continents will compete in Alanya from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.
• About 1,000 athletes are expected, with the event backed by Alanya Municipality, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Alanya District Governor's Office.
• Matches will air on TRT Spor and FIFA's online channel, with quarterfinals and beyond broadcast live in more than 70 countries.
• Host club Serenity Alanya Belediyespor considers itself the favorite in its group, opening against BSC BetVam of Bulgaria.