After months of build-up and anticipation, the Euro Winners Cup 2016 finally get under way in the Sicilian resort on Monday.
With teams arriving over the weekend and taking the chance to train on the sand in Sicily, all that remains is to get the ball rolling and kick off a landmark event in the history of beach soccer.
For the first time, there will be a women’s club competition held alongside the men’s tournament – the former getting up and running on Tuesday.
Sixteen female teams will compete for the inaugural trophy while Monday will consist solely of men’s group games.
Cartel Waterloo of Belgium and Spanish CD Melistar will contest the first game on Monday morning with hosts DomusBet Catania in action later in the day as well as former winners BSC Lokomotiv and BSC Kristall.
Lokomotiv – victors in 2013 – take on BSC Grembach while the home crowd in Sicily will see their side face PBS Zwolle in the primetime 21.00 slot.
BSC Kristall – winners in 2014 and 2015 – boast the likes of Bruno Xavier and Datinha in their squad this time around and will start their defence against La Grande Motte Pyramide at 19.45.
The first match of the women’s tournament sees BeachKick Ladies Berlin and Nomme Kalju meet on Tuesday morning while hosts DomusBet Catania end day two’s action against Bate Borisov.
A full fixture list is available at www.beachsoccer.com and all matches played on pitch one will be streamed live and for free via the website.
Let the games begin…
Monday 23.05.16
9.45 – Cartel Waterloo vs CD Melistar (Men’s Group B, Pitch One)
11.00 – Atlas AO vs FC Bate Borisov (Men’s Group A, Pitch One)
11.00 – BSC Chargers Baselland vs Copenhagen BSC (Men’s Group H, Pitch Two)
12.15 – Portsmouth BS vs ESC Gyongyos (Men’s Group H, Pitch One)
12.15 – ACS Performer Constanta vs WKR Santos (Men’s Group G, Pitch Two) (M6)
13.30 – CS Djoker vs SC Braga (Men’s Group G, Pitch One)
13.30 – BSC Igol vs Alanyaspor (Men’s Group F, Pitch Two)
14.45 – BSC Grembach vs BSC Lokomotiv (Men’s Group F, Pitch One)
14.45 – BSC Peugeot vs Dinamo Batumi (Men’s Group E, Pitch Two)
16.00 – Omida Hemako Sztutowo vs Artur Music (Men’s Group E, Pitch One)
16.00 – Falfala Kfar Qassem vs FC Odesos (Men’s Group D, Pitch Two)
17.15 – Winti Panthers vs ASD Terracina (Men’s Group D, Pitch One)
17.15 – Rostocker Robben vs Viareggio BS (Men’s Group C, Pitch Two)
18.30 – BFK Zep vs BSC Krylya Sovetov (Men’s Group C, Pitch One)
19.45 – La Grande Motte Pyramide vs BSC Kristall (Men’s Group B, Pitch One)
21.00 – PBS Zwolle vs DomusBet Catania (Men’s Group A, Pitch One)
