The newly-formed Malta Beach Soccer Association, under the presidency of Mark Marlow, has launched new competitions, to be held this summer at Pretty Bay, Birżebbuġa, between June 29 and August 21.
Details of this 16-team league competition and other activities related to the game were given by Marlow at a news conference yesterday.
The MBSA president pledged that his association, in conjunction with the Malta FA, is committed to promoting this summer game which is fast gaining popularity worldwide, including Malta.
The aim is to promote the sport in schools and nurseries and ultimately to set up a beach soccer academy where youngsters can be groomed. The eventual formation of national teams to take part in the Euro Beach Soccer League and World Cup competitions is another objective of the association. He said that these initiatives open new horizons for beach football in Malta.
With regard to the forthcoming summer competitions, the main sponsors of which are Gillette Deodorant, he said that the participating teams (men and women) will play four rounds, the first three consisting of 12-minute matches of two periods each. The final round matches will be played over three periods.
The competition will be complemented by entertainment and related activity in the skills of football which include Zumba by Maria and Pedro, cheerleaders in between the afternoon and evening matches and a goalkeeping challenge led by the Mario Muscat Goalkeepers School.
To make this summer event more appealing, there will also be an international beach handball tournament between July 29 and 31 with the participation of three foreign teams.
The U-13 MFA girls and the U-10 boys from the Hibs nursery as well as masters will also be involved in the various sports activities. A special guest will be Roberto Pasquali, the 33-year-old Italian national beach soccer team captain.
Also addressing the conference was MFA CEO Bjorn Vassallo who confirmed the association’s readiness to support initiatives such as those of the MBSA through logistics and financial backing in order to promote and improve the summer game in our islands.
Vassallo said the MBSA will soon submit a request to receive official recognition from the MFA, adding that FIFA has advised the local association that futsal and beach soccer must be represented in the council.
Two FIFA beach soccer courses, one for coaches and the other for referees, will be held here between July 22 and 24. Spain’s beach soccer player Ramiro Figueiras Amarelle will be one of the instructors for the coaching course.
Joe Caruana Curran, on behalf of the Kunsill Malti għall-iSport, said that the culture of promoting sports through various associations, not the least the MBSA, can be spread through the efforts of all.