2025 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup |07 July 2023

Mr Yarza González talking to press, accompanied by SFF president Elvis Chetty (Photo: Roland Duval)

‘A World Cup for the people,’ says Yarza González

The 2025 Fédération internationale de Football Association Beach Soccer World Cup would be an event for the people where everyone will benefit in various ways, while it will also leave a strong legacy for the local sports community, as well as the whole country.

Fédération internationale de Football Association (Fifa) director of tournaments Jaime Yarza González made the statement following a two-day visit, where along with other Fifa representatives and personnel from South Africa-based Fortem Consulting Engineers company which specialises in consulting structural and civil engineering  projects including sports facilities, had their first  inspection in relation to the country’s hosting of the event.

Mr Yarza González said beach soccer is the perfect match for a country like Seychelles, especially with the ongoing development of the sport locally.

He explained that the prime target is to work on a revolutionary concept stadium – 4,000 seats – which will be the best and nicest ever in the history of beach soccer, including the facilities around it to welcome the people and provide them with a local World Cup atmosphere

He said, other than working on the conception of the stadium, which includes reviewing the plans from the architects, and making amendments, the other prime task is to set up the local organising committee.

In terms of the existing facilities, Mr Yarza González said the Roche Caïman Beach Soccer Arena is a fantastic training ground, with a very good pitch, and facilities, including dressing rooms.

He also noted that they are very satisfied with the outcomes of the meetings with the government who promised all possible support.

He added that the joint effort by the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) and the government will leave a strong sports legacy for the country, and that Fifa has high hopes and expectations for the event.

Mr Yarza González further added that a lot of partners will be involved, alongside the government to materialise the project, while two years is an adequate period for Seychelles to be ready on time to host the event.

Following their tour of the proposed site, the delegation had the chance to view an exhibition match featuring players of the national selection which were divided into two teams.

The 2025 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup will be the 13th to be organised, while the event is considered as the premier international beach soccer championship contested by men's national teams of the member associations of Fifa.

Overall, this will be the 23rd World Cup in beach soccer since the establishment of the Beach Soccer World Championships which ran from 1995 to 2004 but was not governed by Fifa.

This will be the eighth tournament to take place biennially, after being held annually until 2009.

This will also be the first time that Seychelles hosts a Fifa tournament, and also the first tournament to be organised in Africa.

On December 8, 2021, Fifa revealed that five associations, namely the Bahrain Football Association, the Colombian Football Federation, the Seychelles Football Federation, the Football Association of Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates Football Association, had affirmed their bidding intentions.

On February 14, 2022, Fifa announced that three of the five associations had submitted bids through to the final stage of the process, with Colombia and Thailand withdrawing.

Confirmation of the awarding of hosting rights was due to be announced at the Fifa council meeting in Doha, Qatar on March 31, 2022.

However, no announcement was made, and it was then due to be awarded at its meeting in Auckland, New Zealand on October 22, 2022, but it was announced at the meeting that the decision had been deferred again until a subsequent council meeting.

On December 16, 2022, the United Arab Emirates was awarded the hosting rights for the 2023 tournament, and Seychelles that for the 2025 tournament.

Seychelles will qualify automatically as host in its first appearance, with 16 teams playing at the tournament.

The process of qualification for the World Cup finals will begin in 2024 and end in 2025.

At the last event held in 2021 in Russia, the host, played as the RFU, won their third World Cup, beating Japan 5-2 in the final.

In the third-place play-off, Switzerland beat Senegal 9-7 to take the bronze medal.

Roland Duval