# FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup records and statistics
The [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup) is the biennial world championship of men's national beach soccer teams, organized by FIFA and first played in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil has won the title a record seven times, most recently at the 2025 edition in [Seychelles](https://www.edgepedia.org/seychelles), and Brazil and Japan are the only teams to have appeared at every tournament.[1](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025) • [2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) • [8](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/480987-most-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-tournaments-played-by-a-nation)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First edition | 2005, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; won by France[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) • [3](https://www.figc.it/media/223993/italy-at-fbswc_press-kit.pdf) |
| Most titles | Brazil, 7 (record, extended at Seychelles 2025)[1](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025) |
| Other champions | Portugal (2015, 2019), Russia (2011, 2013, 2021), France (2005)[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) |
| Frequency | Held annually at first, moved to a biennial format in 2010 when the global tournament shifted schedule[4](https://www.concacaf.com/news/2025-concacaf-beach-soccer-championship-all-you-need-to-know) |
| Latest edition | 13th, Seychelles, 1–11 May 2025, 16 teams, 32 matches, first edition in Africa[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures) |
| Most appearances | Brazil and Japan, 13 each (through 2025)[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) |
| Best Concacaf finish | Mexico, runners-up in 2007, losing the final to hosts Brazil[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/el-salvador-guatemala-chases-first-title-at-2025-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup) |
## Editions and frequency
The tournament began in 2005 in Rio de Janeiro, and the 2025 edition in Victoria, Seychelles marked its 20th anniversary.[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) • [3](https://www.figc.it/media/223993/italy-at-fbswc_press-kit.pdf) It was initially held annually to align with the World Cup's yearly schedule, and adjusted its frequency in 2010 when the global tournament shifted to a biennial format.[4](https://www.concacaf.com/news/2025-concacaf-beach-soccer-championship-all-you-need-to-know) The 2025 event was the 13th edition, played over 11 days from 1 to 11 May with 32 matches, and was the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup staged on African sand and the first FIFA competition hosted in Seychelles.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures) • [2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/)
## Champions
**Brazil dominates the title count.** Brazil captured a record-extending seventh crown on the sands of Victoria in May 2025.[1](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025) Russia and Portugal are the only other nations with multiple titles: Russia have won three times (2011, 2013, and 2021) and Portugal twice, in 2015 and 2019, while France won the inaugural 2005 edition.[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) • [9](https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/beachsoccerworldcup/russia2021/news/live-beach-soccer-world-cup) • [10](https://inside.fifa.com/news/rfu-claim-third-beach-soccer-world-cup-crown)
Several strong teams have reached finals without lifting the trophy: Italy three times, Tahiti twice, and Japan and Spain once each.[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) Italy was the runners-up at the previous edition, UAE 2024 Dubai, where Brazil beat it in the final.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures)
## Appearances
Brazil and Japan have each appeared at a record 13 editions through 2025, having taken part in every tournament.[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) Senegal, which claimed a record-extending eighth African title at the 2024 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations, made its 10th appearance at the global event in 2025; its best finish there was fourth place in 2021.[2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/)
The 2025 field included four debutants: Chile, [Guatemala](https://www.edgepedia.org/guatemala), Mauritania, and hosts Seychelles, whose appearance was the nation's first at any FIFA global showpiece.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures) Guatemala became the eighth Concacaf nation to participate; only Canada (2006) and Mexico (2007) won their debut matches in the FIFA era, both on penalties.[6](https://www.concacaf.com/news/el-salvador-guatemala-chases-first-title-at-2025-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup)
## Format and competition structure
The tournament uses a round-robin group stage followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and a final. In 2025, 16 teams were drawn into four groups, with the top two from each pool advancing to the knockout phase.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures) • [2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/) FIFA describes the format as the fastest, most action-packed and goal-heavy of any FIFA event.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures)
Qualification runs through the confederations.
## Individual records
At Seychelles 2025, Belarusian sharpshooter Ihar Bryshtel became just the third player to win the adidas Golden Scorer award in back-to-back editions of the tournament.[1](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025) Brazil's Rodrigo holds the distinction of being the first player named Player of the Match in two finals, having received the accolade in the 2024 and 2025 title deciders.[1](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025)
## Attendance and recent context
The preceding edition, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup UAE 2024 Dubai, was attended by more than 70,000 fans.[5](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures) At the 2025 group stage, two-time champions Portugal defeated IR Iran 7-5, ending Iran's campaign after Iran had entered as bronze medallists from the 2024 edition.[7](https://assets.the-afc.com/AFC_Congress/2026/36th-AFC-Congress-2026---Activity-Report.pdf) • [2](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/)
## References
1. [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025 – 2025 at a glance, Inside FIFA](https://inside.fifa.com/official-documents/annual-report/2025/2025-at-a-glance/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025)
2. [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025 draw to take place in Victoria on Friday, CAF](https://www.cafonline.com/news/fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-draw-to-take-place-in-victoria-on-friday/)
3. [Italy at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup press kit, FIGC](https://www.figc.it/media/223993/italy-at-fbswc_press-kit.pdf)
4. [2025 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship: All you need to know, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/2025-concacaf-beach-soccer-championship-all-you-need-to-know)
5. [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025 match schedule confirmed, Inside FIFA](https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/news/beach-soccer-world-cup-seychelles-2025-match-schedule-fixtures)
6. [El Salvador, Guatemala chases first title at 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, Concacaf](https://www.concacaf.com/news/el-salvador-guatemala-chases-first-title-at-2025-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup)
7. [36th AFC Congress 2026 Activity Report, AFC](https://assets.the-afc.com/AFC_Congress/2026/36th-AFC-Congress-2026---Activity-Report.pdf)
8. [Most FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup tournaments played by a nation](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/480987-most-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup-tournaments-played-by-a-nation)
9. [RFU crowned Beach Soccer World Cup champions](https://inside.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/beachsoccerworldcup/russia2021/news/live-beach-soccer-world-cup)
10. [RFU claim third Beach Soccer World Cup crown](https://inside.fifa.com/news/rfu-claim-third-beach-soccer-world-cup-crown)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › Other FIFA competitions › FIFA Futsal and Beach Soccer World Cups › FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup records and statistics*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license