UAE 2024 quaification
The year began with only three nations having booked berths at the next FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ – Egypt, Senegal and hosts United Arab Emirates – and ended with the line-up complete. Ten of the 16 participants appeared at Russia 2021, while Argentina will return for the first time in nine years and Colombia will make their big-stage debut. The biggest shocks were Paraguay and Switzerland not making it, while USA and Mexico clinched Concacaf’s two tickets over its highest-ranked team, El Salvador.

Unstoppable Brazil
Six tournaments, six trophies. 2023 indubitably belonged to the Seleção, for whom Catarino, Edson Hulk, Filipe Silva, Mauricinho and Rodrigo electrified. Brazil, down in fifth 15 months ago, finish the year top of the Beach Soccer Worldwide Ranking.

“We’re really pleased with the year the Seleção had,” said Edson Hulk. “It was great preparation for the World Cup. Six competitions, six titles, and we put Brazil back on top of the world ranking. It was a blessed year for the Seleção.”

Colombia come of age
Los Cafeteros had never finished higher than eighth at the Beach Soccer Copa America. They stunned Paraguay en route to coming third at Argentina 2023, consequently claiming a ticket to the global finals for the first time ever. Colombia followed up that historic achievement by conquering the Acapulco Cup, with Juan Ossa dazzling in victories over USA and former FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup finalists Mexico.

Iran make a statement
Japan had finished fourth at Paraguay 2019 and second at Russia 2021, were the defending AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup champions, and the heavy favourites going into the final in March. IR Iran didn’t just beat them, but battered them 6-0.

“Iran have progressed a lot in recent years,” said Moslem Mesigar of the Bahamas 2017 bronze-medallists. “Beating Japan 6-0 wasn’t by accident.

“The UAE is Iran’s neighbour. We have many fans there. This will help us. When we play in the UAE, it’s like we are playing in Iran. We feel like the hosts. We want to finish on the podium, but of course everybody is thinking about the trophy.”

The rise of the UAE
United Arab Emirates took the sport by storm ahead of staging the 12th FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in February 2024. They stunned Iran in the final of the Asian qualifying tournament for the ANOC World Beach Games, came from three goals down to beat the mighty Spain en route to a second-placed finish at the Mundialito, and sunk the same side and finished third at the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup. The magnificent form of Humaid Alblooshi, Walid Mohammad and Abbas Ali has Emirati supporters confident they can reach the knockout phase of the global finals for the first time ever.

“It was definitely an amazing year,” Walid Mohammad told FIFA. “We achieved a lot and competed against top teams. We finish the year eighth on the Beach Soccer Worldwide Ranking. We always aim for more and, inshallah, 2023 will help boost what we go on to achieve in 2024.”

The European kings
Emmanuele Zurlo’s acrobatic wonder-goal snatched Italy victory over Spain in their play-off for a place at UAE 2024 in July. Marco Giordani then hit a hat-trick as they sunk the same side to become Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal champions in September.

“Winning the Euro Beach Soccer League meant as much as the 11-a-side guys winning the EURO in 2021,” Giordani told FIFA. “Sure, they are different disciplines, but the emotions are the same. Now though, we must keep our feet on the ground and play with the same humility we showed this year. Having said that, we need to play with our chests out and remember who we are: silver medallists at the European Games, champions of Europe and one of the best teams in the world. It’s such a young group of players, but we were the best team in Europe in 2023.”

The golazo
Catarino, a serial scorer of wonder goals, shook social media with a sensational, swerving free-kick for Catania in July. It trended on X and was compared to Roberto Carlos’ mind-blowing strike against France at Le Tournoi, while innumerable commenters questioned whether internet sensation Luva de Pedreiro could pull it off. Furthermore, the golazo earned Catarino a follow from hip-hop legend Nelly, whose hits include ‘Ride Wit Me’, ‘Hot in Herre’ and ‘Dilemma’, and Brazilian rapper L7.