Preview: USA Ready To Take On The World 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup

U.S. BEACH MNT SET FOR WORLD CUP

The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team will kick off its journey at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup on Thursday, Feb. 15 vs. Italy (6:30 a.m. ET; FS2, Universo). Entering the tournament as champion of Concacaf, the Beach MNT is looking to become the first U.S. squad to advance from the group stage at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

The USA’s first match against Italy is also the opening match of the tournament, and will mark the first-ever meeting between the two nations in the FIFA Beach Soccer era (2005-present).

• READ MORE: Five Things to Know About the Beach World Cup

The U.S. continues Group A play against tournament hosts United Arab Emirates on Saturday, February 17 (10:30 a.m. ET; FS2, Telemundo.com, Telemundo App), and closes the group stage vs. Egypt on Monday, Feb. 19 (6:30 a.m. ET; FS2, Universo).

The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be broadcast in English on Fox Sports platforms and on the Fox Sports app with corresponding authentication. Matches will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo platforms and the Telemundo app.

Fans can follow all of the action from UAE on ussoccer.com as well as U.S. Soccer Extended National Teams on Facebook, and @ussoccer_ENT on Twitter and Instagram.

2024 FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP – USA GROUP A SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Time (ET)	TV Info
Thursday, Feb. 15	Italy	6:30 a.m.	FS2, Universo
Saturday, Feb. 17	United Arab Emirates	10:30 a.m.	FS2, Telemundo App
Monday, Feb. 19	Egypt	6:30 a.m.	FS2, Universo

2024 FIFA BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP DETAILED ROSTER (HOMETOWN; CAPS/GOALS)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 12-Austin Collier (Chesapeake, Va.; 11/0), 1-Chris Toth (San Diego, Calif; 97/16)

DEFENDERS (3): 3-Antonio Chavez (Oceanside, Calif.; 35/7), 5-Nico Perea (Hollywood, Fla.; 35/19), 6-Cody Valcarcel (Santa Cruz, Calif.; 21/6)

MIDFIELDERS (4): 2-Tanner Akol (Santa Cruz, Calif.; 24/12), 11-Chris Albiston (Virginia Beach, Va.; 48/22), 4-Ricardo Carvalho (Milwaukee, Wis.; 10/4), Andres Navas (Miami, Fla.; 16/5)

FORWARDS (3): 9-Alessandro Canale (Venice Beach, Calif.; 93/66), 8-Conner Rezende (Davie, Fla.; 33/5), 8-Gabriel Silveira (San Francisco, Calif.; 54/44)

MOST EXPERIENCED ROSTER AT BEACH WORLD CUP

Averaging 40 caps, the roster includes seven players with previous World Cup experience, highlighted by the duo of goalkeeper Chris Toth and forward Alessandro Canale (2013, 2019, 2021, 2024) who both appear in their fourth FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, tying the U.S. record set by Farberoff (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013). Canale is the USA’s joint all-time leading goal scorer at the tournament, with nine goals in as many matches, while Toth’s eight tournament appearances are the most all-time among U.S. goalkeepers. The 2023 Beach Soccer Male Player of the Year, Gabe Silveira (2019, 2021, 2024), also heads to his third World Cup.

• READ MORE: Get to Know the 12-Player U.S. World Cup Squad

Meanwhile, defender Nico Perea – who tallied four goals for the USA at Russia 2021 – heads to his second World Cup along with midfielders Chris Albiston and Tanner Akol, and forward Conner Rezende.

Overall, 10 of the 12 players on the roster were part of the squad that helped the USA qualify for the World Cup and win the 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship.

INJURED PERERA REPLACED BY NAVAS

Originally named to the World Cup roster, team captain Nick Perera was forced to withdraw from the squad this week after sustaining a left knee injury injury while playing for Tacoma Stars of the MASL. The long-time team captain and USA’s all-time leading scorer in Beach Soccer, Perera was slated to go to his fourth World Cup along with Alessandro Canale and Chris Toth.

The Beach MNT veteran was replaced on the roster by midfielder Andres Navas, who has amassed 16 caps and five goals since debuting with the USBMNT during the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai played in November 2022.

TOTH ON THE CUSP OF HISTORY

Having made his Beach MNT debut in March 2012, veteran goalkeeper Chris Toth is set to hit 100 caps during the tournament, making him the first Beach athlete to reach the milestone since U.S. Soccer began overseeing Beach Soccer in 2005. Currently on 97 caps, Toth – who has been named team captain in place of the injured Nick Perera -- is projected to hit the century mark in the group stage finale against Egypt on Feb. 19.

The son of former Hungarian international Zoltan Toth, Chris’ road to 100 has seen him overcome two heart surgeries – the second of which nearly saw him have to stop playing soccer. Instead of ending his playing career, Toth switched to become a goalkeeper just like his father, and has had a storied indoor soccer career while also being recognized as one of the world’s best beach soccer goalkeepers.

• READ MORE: All-Time USBMNT Statistics

Toth will captain the USA in the injury absence of Nick Perera, doing so in the same place where he first wore for the USBMNT in the 2022 Intercontinental Cup in Dubai.

FARBEROFF A BEACH SOCCER FIXTURE

While Toth is set to hit the century mark, Beach MNT head coach Francis Farberoff also earned over 100 caps during his playing career which began in the unaffiliated World Championship era, and extended into the first nine years of U.S. Soccer’s administration of the beach soccer discipline. The first Beach MNT athlete to appear on four FIFA World Cup rosters (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013), Farberoff has participated in all seven of the USA’s tournament appearances, serving as an assistant to Eddie Soto in 2019 and head coach in 2021 and 2024.

KINGS OF CONCACAF

The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team qualified for this year’s World Cup at the 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship held in Nassau, Bahamas last May. Francis Farberoff’s side breezed through the group stage, defeating Dominican Republic 11-1, upending Trinidad and Tobago 6-2, and seeing of Panama 5-1 to claim the top spot in Group C.

In the quarterfinal against Costa Rica, the USA overcame a 3-2 deficit to earn a 5-4 comeback win putting them within one victory of qualification for the World Cup. Facing defending Concacaf champs El Salvador in the semifinals, the USA used a brace from Nick Perera and goals from Nico Perea, Gabe Silveira and Alessandro Canale to claim a 5-2 win and a spot in a third consecutive World Cup.

In the final the USA earned one of its most dominant wins ever, as this time a Gabe Silveira brace, followed by goals from Perera, Ricardo Carvalho, and Canale led the team to a decisive 5-0 win against rivals Mexico. With the victory, the USA claimed its third Concacaf Beach Soccer title and first since 2013, while captain and all-time leading scorer Nick Perera claimed the Golden Ball as best player at the tournament.

Additionally, the six straight wins in the Bahamas tied the record for longest winning streak in team history, and pushed the USBMNT to an 11-3-0 mark in 2023 – the most successful year since U.S. Soccer began overseeing Beach Soccer in 2005. 

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup features 16 countries divided into four groups of four teams. The top two finishers in each group, advance to the Quarterfinals. From there, the tournament will feature a knockout bracket to the tournament final. Groups A and B will cross over for the quarterfinals, as will Groups C and D.

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
United Arab Emirates	Spain	Senegal	Brazil
Egypt	IR Iran	Belarus	Oman
USA	Tahiti	Colombia	Portugal
Italy	Argentina	Japan	Mexico

USA AT THE BEACH WORLD CUP

The USA will take part in its seventh FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, and third straight tournament, at Dubai 2024. While the U.S. side is no stranger to the World Cup sand, the team holds a 3-14 all-time record at the tournament, with its only wins coming in a 4-2 result against Poland in 2006, 7-6 victory versus IR Iran in 2007 and a 6-4 edging against United Arab Emirates in 2013.

And while the USA has gone 0-6 at the last two World Cups, three of those matches have been one-goal games. Most recently in 2019, the USA opened the World Cup with a 5-4 extra time defeat to the Russia Football Union, and then also fell 4-3 to Japan two days later. While the team lost two matches, both opponents made it to the final which Russia won.

As reigning champions of Concacaf and coming off a year its most successful year in team history, Francis Farberoff’s side has made the goal of becoming the first U.S. team to advance from the group stage of the Beach Soccer World Cup at Dubai 2024.

BEACH MNT PART OF U.S. SOCCER’S EXTENDED NATIONAL TEAMS

The U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team is one of nine teams that falls under U.S. Soccer’s Extended National Teams department, providing world-class athletes the ability to represent the United States in various disciplines of the game. The Beach MNT is joined by the Beach WNT, as well as Futsal MNT and WNT, CP MNT and WNT, Deaf MNT and WNT and the Power Soccer National Team. As part of U.S. Soccer’s planned training facility in Atlanta, all nine Extended National Teams will have dedicated training facilities along with the USMNT, USWNT and the Federations various youth national teams.

USMNT ROSTER NOTES

• As of the opening match on Feb. 15, the 12-player roster will have an average age of 31 years, 109 days and 40 caps.
• The roster includes 10 of the 12 players who helped the USA win the 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship and qualify for this year’s World Cup last May, with only Tanner Akol and Andres Navas not part of that squad.
• Set to appear in their fourth World Cups, the duo of Alessandro Canale and Chris Toth (2013, 2019, 2021, 2024) tie head coach Francis Farberoff (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013) for most World Cup rosters in Beach MNT history.
• Canale and Toth lead the list of seven players with previous Beach Soccer World Cup experience. They are followed by Gabriel Silveira (3; 2019, 2021 2024) and Tanner Akol, Chris Albiston, Nico Perea and Conner Rezende (2; 2021, 2024).
• Ricardo Carvalho, Antonio Chavez, Austin Collier, Andres Navas and Cody Valcarcel will take part in their first Beach Soccer World Cup.
• Should he appear in three matches at the World Cup, goalkeeper Chris Toth is set to become the first Beach MNT player to reach 100 caps since U.S. Soccer began overseeing Beach Soccer in 2005.
• After captaining the USA at January’s Maranhão International Cup, midfielder Chris Albiston (48 caps) is set to become the 10^th USBMNT player to surpass the 50-cap mark during the World Cup.
• With nine World Cup goals, Alessandro Canale is tied with Anthony Chimienti for the USA’s all-time World Cup scoring lead. Canale is also tied for second all-time with nine World Cup caps and can surpass Francis Farberoff (11) with appearances in all three group stage matches.
• The roster features the Beach MNT’s second and third all-time leading goal scorers: Alessandro Canale (66 goals / 93 caps) and Gabriel Silveira (44 goals / 54 caps).
• Ricardo Carvalho heads to the World Cup less than a year after making his Beach MNT debut on May 8, 2023 against Dominican Republic at the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship.
• With six selections, California leads the list of four states represented on the World Cup roster, followed by Florida (three), Virginia (two) and Wisconsin (one)
• Three players are on Major Arena Soccer League rosters: Canale and Toth feature for Tacoma Stars, while Ricardo Carvalho plays for Milwaukee Wave.

U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM NOTES

• The USA has qualified for seven of 12 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups, including the last three tournaments: Brazil 2005, Brazil 2006, Brazil 2007, Tahiti 2013, Paraguay 2019, Russia 2021 and United Arab Emirates 2024.
• The USBMNT claimed its third Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship in 2023, having previously won the confederation title in 2006 and 2013.
• Coming off earning an 11-3-0 record, the year 2023 marked the USBMNT’s most successful campaign since U.S. Soccer began overseeing Beach Soccer in 2005. The team also set milestones with a +43 goal difference and 2.29 goals against average, while its 75 goals scored was the second-highest in team history after the 80 goals scored in 2019.
• Head coach Francis Farberoff is 20-17-0 since he began leading the team in 2021. 
• The USBMNT holds a 72-87-9 record since U.S. Soccer began overseeing Beach Soccer in 2005.

GROUP STAGE OPPONENT NOTES

ITALY
Feb. 15 at 6:30 a.m. ET (FS2, Universo)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Andrea Carpita, 12-Leandro Casapieri
DEFENDERS (3): 6-Luca Bertacca, 5-Josep Gentilin Junior, 3-Alessandro Miceli
MIDFIELDERS (4): 2-Ovidio Alla, 8-Tommaso Fazzini, 4-Gianmarco Genovali, 10-Alessandro Remedi
FORWARDS (3): 11-Marco Giordani, 7-Fabio Sciacca, 9-Emmanuele Zurlo

• The USA-Italy match on Feb. 15 at 6:30 a.m. ET will mark the opening contest of the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
  
  
• Italy is ranked No. 7 in the current BSWW Rankings.
  
  
• After missing out on the 2021 edition, the 2024 Beach Soccer World Cup will mark Italy’s ninth appearance at the tournament since FIFA began overseeing the competition in 2005.
  
  
• Holding a 25-7 all-time World Cup record, the Azzuri have made the tournament semifinals on four occasions and twice finished as runners up, losing 5-3 to Brazil in the 2008 final and 6-4 to Portugal in the 2019 title game.
  
  
• HOW THEY GOT HERE: Italy qualified for their ninth World Cup through the 2023 UEFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification tournament last July. The Azzuri  were perfect through the group stage, defeating Estonia 3-1, Moldova 3-1, and Azerbaijan 3-2 to advance to the qualifying playoff. There, they defeated Spain 4-3 in extra time to book their ticket to Dubai.
  
  
• The World Cup meeting against the USA will be the first official match between the USA and Italy in the FIFA Beach Soccer era (2005-present).
  
  
• The two teams did play at the 2003 Beach Soccer World Championships, the predecessor to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, with current USBMNT head coach Francis Farberoff scoring one of the goals as the USA fell 5-4 in the group stage.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Feb. 17 at 10:30 a.m. ET (FS2, Telemundo.com, Telemundo App)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Mohamed Al Bahri, 12-Humaid Jamal
DEFENDERS (6): 2-Haitham Mohamed, 4-Waleed Beshr, 5-Abbas Ali, 6-Kamal Ali, 7-Ahmad Malahi, 9-Abudlla Abbas
FORWARDS (4): 3-Ahmed Beshr, 8-Ali Mohammad, 10-Alid Mohammad, 11-Rashed Eid

• United Arab Emirates are ranked No. 8 in the current BSWW World Ranking.
  
  
• Having first qualified for the 2007 edition, hosts United Arab Emirates will take part in their eighth FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, and like the United States will have the goal of advancing from the group stage for the first time.
  
  
• This will be the second World Cup meeting and sixth overall match between the USA and UAE in men’s beach soccer, with the USA holding a 3-2 advantage.
  
  
• UAE earned a 5-3 win in the first meeting at the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai on Oct. 31, 2012.
  
  
• The next meeting came at the 2013 Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti with the USA using a with two goals coming from forward Alessandro Canale to earn a 6-4 win on Sept. 23, 2013, in Papeete, Tahiti. That victory was the last time the USA won a match at the Beach Soccer World Cup.
  
  
• The next two contests again came at the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai, with Canale scoring two of the three USA goals in a 4-3 defeat on Nov. 5, 2016. Two years later, the USA evened the series on Nov. 9, 2018, with goals from Chris Albiston and Gabe Silveira helping lift the side to a 5-3 win.
  
  
• The teams met just last month on Matchday Two of the Maranhão International Cup in Brazil. Silveira opened the scoring in the second period, but Rashed Eid’s penalty kick locked things at 1-1 after two. Late third period goals from Cody Valcarcel and Conner Rezende lifted the USA to a 3-1 win.

• This marks the fourth consecutive World Cup that the USA will face the host nation in the group stage, having previously been grouped with Tahiti (2013), Paraguay (2019) and Russia (2021).
  
  

EGYPT
Feb. 19 at 6:30 a.m. ET (FS2, Universo)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Ibrahim Hassan, 12-Mohamed Elsayed
DEFENDERS (5): 2-Hassan Hussein, 4-Ahmed Alshahat, 5-Moustafa Sasa, 7-Elhusseini Taha, 8-Mostafa Ahmed
FORWARDS (3): 3-Ishmael Baghat, 6-Moustafa Samir, 9-Haitham Costa, 10-Mohamed Loha, 11-Abdoo Elshafei

• One of two countries taking part in their first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Egypt qualified for the tournament after finishing as runners up at the 2022 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations in Mozambique. After earning a second-place finish with a 6-2 win against Uganda in their group finale, Egypt upset Morocco 5-4 in the semifinals to qualify for the World Cup, and fell 6-5 on penalties to Senegal in the final following a 2-2 draw in the final.

• The World Cup match will mark the second-ever meeting between the Egypt and the USA in men’s beach soccer, with the Pharoahs earning a 5-3 win during the Intercontinental Cup on Nov. 3, 2016 in Dubai.