BEACH SOCCER – Bahrain are set to take part in the highly anticipated AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2025.
The tournament is set to be played in Pattaya, Thailand, kicking off on Thursday and continuing until March 30.
The kingdom’s beach soccer national team are one of 16 sides competing in the continental event, which is being organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Bahrainis, currently ranked 49th in the world and sixth in Asia, are in Group D for the tournament’s preliminary round along with Oman, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Group A features hosts Thailand, Kuwait, Lebanon, and India; Group B is composed of Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq; and Group C comprises defending champions Iran, the UAE, Afghanistan, and Indonesia.
Bahrain are making their 10th appearance in the tournament.
The nationals took the title in the inaugural edition in 2006 but have yet to repeat that feat. They made it to the quarter-finals in the previous championship in 2023, also held in Pattaya, when they lost to eventual champions Iran.
Bahrain are scheduled to open their campaign on Friday against Malaysia at 4.30pm.
They then return to action on Sunday next week against Vietnam at 1pm, before playing their final group clash on March 25 at 4.30pm. All times are Bahrain.
Following the preliminaries, the top two teams from each group go on to the last eight, scheduled for March 26 and 27.
The semis will then take place on March 29, after which the gold and bronze medal games will be held on March 30.
Aside from their title in 2006, the Bahrainis also stepped onto the podium in 2009 when they claimed the silver medals after losing in the final to gold-medallists Japan.
Both years, the nationals qualified for the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, which have been their only two appearances.
This year’s AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup also acts as a continental qualifying tournament for the 2025 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, to be held in Seychelles.
The top three teams book their tickets to the international showcase, which is scheduled for May 1 to 11.
Prior to their campaign in Pattaya, the Bahrainis have been holding a training camp in Thailand, where they have played a series of international friendlies against other participants in the continental event.
They first suffered a narrow 3-4 defeat to China in their opening game, and then lost to Japan 3-6 in their second encounter.
They wrapped up their tune-up schedule by defeating their counterparts from Afghanistan 7-3.
The Bahrain Football Association has yet to announce the national team’s final roster for the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup 2025.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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