The Arab Football Association will kick off its 2026-2027 season on Thursday with the fifth edition of the Arab Beach Soccer Cup, hosted by the Egyptian Football Association in Port Said from November 5 to 10. Eight Arab teams will compete for the title in matches held at the "Porto Said" stadium.
This tournament is part of the Arab Football Association's competition program for the new season, which continues to organize various championships across different categories and competitions. This initiative aims to enhance the presence of Arab sports and provide opportunities for national teams to compete, while also supporting the growth and technical development of beach soccer in the Arab region.
The General Secretariat of the Arab Football Association and the organizing committee have completed all organizational, administrative, technical, and logistical preparations for the tournament, ensuring suitable conditions for the participating teams and accompanying delegations. Matches will be broadcast on "ON Sport" channels.
The fifth edition features teams from Egypt, the defending champions, as well as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Mauritania, Lebanon, Iraq, and Libya. The draw, based on the rankings of the Arab and international football federations, has placed the teams into two groups: Group A includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, and Iraq, while Group B consists of Oman, Morocco, Lebanon, and Libya.
The Egyptian national team enters the competition with the ambition of retaining the title, benefiting from playing on home soil and in front of its fans. Egypt won the fourth edition hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2023, with Oman finishing as runners-up. Both teams will compete again in the current edition, which features a selection of the top Arab teams in the sport.
The Arab Beach Soccer Cup dates back to 2008 when Egypt hosted the inaugural edition, with Libya winning the title and the UAE finishing second. The tournament moved to Saudi Arabia in 2010, where the Saudi team claimed the title. Egypt hosted the third edition in 2014, winning the championship, while Lebanon was the runner-up. In the fourth edition in 2023 in Saudi Arabia, Egypt returned to the podium, defeating Oman in the final.
The return of the tournament for its fifth edition reflects the Arab Football Association's ongoing interest in beach soccer, which has gained increasing popularity at both regional and international levels due to its speed, excitement, and high technical skills.
Beach soccer began as a recreational activity on the beaches of Brazil in the 1950s before gradually evolving into a professional sport, leading to the oversight of FIFA and the organization of the first World Cup in 2005. Since then, 13 official editions of the World Cup have been held, with Brazil leading the way with seven titles, followed by Russia with three, Portugal with two, and France with one.
Beach soccer matches are played under a special format suitable for sand play, with each team consisting of five players on the field, including a goalkeeper. Matches are played in three periods, each lasting 12 minutes, with unlimited substitutions allowed. Games do not end in a draw; if tied, a three-minute extra period is played, followed by penalty kicks if necessary.
The game requires a sand-covered field with a depth of at least 40 centimeters, measuring between 35 and 37 meters in length and between 26 and 28 meters in width. The goal is 5.5 meters wide and 2.2 meters high, with rules that eliminate offside and prohibit forming a human wall for free kicks.
Eyes will be on Port Said as the competition begins, marking the first event of the new season for the Arab Football Association. Eight Arab teams will compete for the title, with hopes of showcasing a high level of play that reflects the development of the sport and enhances the status of Arab championships.
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