Moscow has been selected to host the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti 2013 – European Qualifier. The Russian capital, home to current World Champions, will field the largest and toughest competition of the Beach Soccer season from 1st to 8th of July 2012, with 24 National Teams of the Old Continent fighting for a place in the Beach Soccer biggest showcase, to happen next summer in the French Polynesia.

Joan Cusco, Beach Soccer Worldwide vice-president and FIFA Board Member, voiced his good feelings after the confirmation that Russia, through the Russian Football Union (RFS), is to host such an important event: “We are really happy with the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 Qualifier taking place in Russia. They are a country that know the sport perfectly, and their organizational capacities are beyond any doubt, as proved in last Euro Beach Soccer League 2011 Superfinal and the Euro Beach Soccer Cup 2012. They are absolutely ready to face such a challenge of hosting the hugest Beach Soccer event, with such an amusing amount of squads involved”.

During the first week of July, then, the Muscovite Victory Square (Ploshchad Pobedy) will see the tremendous battle for one of the four World Cup spots granted to the European sides. 

Among those teams, hosts and red-hot favourites Russia, will need to take on some of the continental superpowers to secure the chance to claim their World Champions position again in Tahiti. Together with Likhachev’s side, other European giants such as current Qualifier title-holders Ukraine, Euro Beach Soccer League runner ups Switzerland, Euro Beach Soccer Cup finalists Portugal, Italy, France, Poland, Spain, Romania, and many many others, will fight their chances to fly to Papeete next year. But only five of them will make it…