Beach soccer, also known as beach football, is a variant of football played on a beach.
Beach football started in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1940.
"The irregularity of the soft-sand playing surface leads to a totally different style of play than is used in football, with a greater degree of improvisation. The compact field, much smaller than a normal pitch, allows players to score from anywhere on the sand, leading to an average of sixty attempts at goal in a single game. With an average scoring rate of one goal every three or four minutes, around eleven goals are scored in total during an average game."
The rules of beach soccer are based on the usual laws of football, with some modifications.
A beach soccer field is a level sandy area smaller than a regular pitch, which is cleared of pebbles and seashells along with any other objects which could injure a player.
The field dimensions are:
Length: 35–37 metres
Width: 26–28 metres
The goals are smaller than standard football goals, being 2.2 metres high and and 5.5 metres wide.
Each team consists of five players including the goalkeeper and an unlimited number of substitutions. Players must play in bare feet, although ankle guards are permitted. Goal clearances are taken by the goalkeeper using their hands to throw the ball
A game lasts 36 minutes and is split up into three 12-minute periods. Draws are not permitted, with the game going into three minutes of golden goal extra time followed by a penalty shootout if the score is still on level after normal time. Unlike football, penalty kicks are directly decided by sudden death.
Beach soccer has two on-field referees and a timekeeper.
Yellow and red cards can be issued. A team can then bring on a substitute to replace the dismissed player after two minutes.
Free kicks are awarded for various fouls. All free kicks are direct and must be taken by the player who was fouled, unless awarded for deliberate handling.
The ball is inflated to a lower pressure.
Instead of a throw-in, a team may choose to take a kick-in.
Preventing an opponent doing a bicycle kick is a specific foul
Teams may not keep possession in their penalty area for more than four seconds.
Goalkeepers may handle a back- pass from a teammate a maximum of once during their team’s possession.
If you wish to nominate for Beach Soccer please contact Laurence at. Sport.MAI@maccabi.com.au
Get a taste for beach soccer
Tahiti v Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9en0LeWv5ok
Comments