Why the English FA Must Step Up and Support Beach Soccer

St. George’s Park, the home of all the England football team’s - except it’s actually not…

Credit: The FA

England boasts a proud footballing heritage. From the coveted pitch of Wembley Stadium to the masses of grassroots clubs spread throughout the country, the English Football Association (FA) has long had stewardship over the nation’s beautiful game. Yet, despite football’s many wonderful forms, one exciting and fast-growing variant, beach soccer, remains unsupported and underfunded. It’s about time the FA recognised the untapped potential of England Beach Soccer and took meaningful action to help it grow and flourish.

The Global Rise of Beach Soccer

Beach soccer may have humble beginnings, but so don’t all sports. The game may have begun as a game played with friends on the beaches of Brazil, but it has since evolved to become much more than just a summer pastime.

Beach soccer is a recognised and professionally organised sport governed by Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) and is played in over 100 countries. It is even recognised by FIFA, with football’s global governing body organising an annual men’s beach soccer World Cup.

Nations like Brazil, Portugal, Spain and Russia have invested heavily in their beach soccer programs, reaping rewards in terms of silverware and national prestige. England, however, lags far behind. Despite having both a men’s and women’s national team composed of skilled players, the squad lacks the essential backing of the juggernaut national governing body.

England Beach Soccer Teams

England Beach Soccer governs the sport in the country, independent of the FA. The England National Beach Soccer Team represents England in international men’s beach soccer competitions, and the England Women’s National Beach Soccer Team represents England in international women’s beach soccer competitions. They wear the same badge and kits as the iconic Three Lions and Lionesses, but lack the funding and resources that would afford them similar success.

That is not to say that the England beach soccer teams have not seen success. Despite the lack of support and the odds stacked against them, the England Women’s national team have climbed their way to 4th in the official BSWW World Ranking. The team was also the 2017 Women’s Euro Beach Soccer Cup Champions, beating Switzerland 4-3 in the final on the beach of Nazaré, Portugal.

Credit: Since 71

They also earned a silver medal in the 2019 World Beach Games, under the flag of Great Britain. They battled their way to the tournament’s final, beating Russia and Brazil before ultimately losing 3-2 to Spain in the final.

The current women’s team head coach and former national team player, Molly Barron-Clark, was voted Best Women’s Player at the 2021 Beach Soccer Stars Awards.

Unfortunately, the men’s national team has struggled to achieve similar success. After participating in the first-ever FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 1995 and finishing third, they did not participate in any competitions between 1995 and 2001. In 2001, they began competing in the Euro Beach Soccer League, which until 2008 served as a qualifying competition for the World Cup, but they were not successful enough in the competition to qualify for the World Cup. In 2008, a separate qualifying competition was created, but they have failed to progress to the World Cup finals since the competition’s inaugural tournament.

That’s kind of unthinkable, right? An England team not even qualifying for a World Cup. It just doesn’t seem right. England Beach Soccer’s lack of funding and resources has stunted the country’s growth in the sport. As other countries capitalise on beach soccer’s growth and support their national teams, we will likely see England fall further behind.

Missed Opportunities and Lost Talent

The lack of FA support means the national teams are not adequately funded for travel, training or competitions. This is highlighted by the current crowdfunding campaign set up by Mark Jones Eye & Hearing Care to help the Women’s National Team raise the funds needed to prepare and compete in their next tournament in Spain.

England national team players self-fund their participation, sacrificing time and money to represent their country. Additionally, there is no domestic league structure to scout and nurture talented players. This results in missed opportunities to find and develop players who might excel in this format, even those whose playing style is not suited to the traditional grass game. Beach soccer requires different skills and techniques from the traditional game, emphasising agility and creativity in small-sided, fast-paced matches. This opens up a new pathway for talent development and an opportunity for young players who excel in these areas.

Why the FA Should Act Now

A New and Exciting Way to Enjoy Football

Beach soccer is fun and exciting, not only to play but also to watch. In a time when fans are becoming disillusioned with the elite grass game, beach soccer could provide an alternative.

Increase England's Global Standing

England already has a powerful presence on the world stage in traditional football. Its national teams and domestic leagues rank among the best in the world. Investing in beach soccer offers the country another platform to excel on an international stage, potentially dominating with the right strategy and support. This would only strengthen England’s position as a global footballing powerhouse.

Alignment with the FA's Goals

The FA promotes inclusivity, diversity and football for all. Supporting beach soccer, a legitimate variant of the sport currently left in the shadows,  would only improve the credibility of these claims.

Potential Olympic Inclusion

With BSWW and FIFA’s fight to have beach soccer included in the Olympics and its potential future in the games, now is the perfect time to begin building a beach soccer programme capable of competing in the upper echelons of the sport.

The bottom line is that England risks being left behind if the FA waits too long to act.

Steps the FA Should Take

Officially Recognise and Fund the National Teams

The FA should ensure that players are supported both financially and logistically to participate in international competitions. This should include financial support and resources for national team training and preparation camps.

Develop a Domestic Beach Soccer League

This would create a pathway for players and increase awareness and popularity of the sport within the country.

Invest in Facilities

Due to the country’s climate, it would be great to see the development of a purpose-built beach soccer national stadium with either a permanent or retractable roof. This would mean that it could be used year-round, and the surface could be protected in the colder months. This could also be used as a national team training centre, or an indoor training pitch could be built at St. George’s Park.

Coastal towns and cities should receive support in the form of infrastructure investment and the development of training programs and competitions to support the game at a grassroots level. As the sport grows, this could be extended further inland in order to provide opportunities all over the country.

Launch Community Engagement Programmes

The FA should develop programmes to promote beach soccer through initiatives such as school programmes and summer events. This would be beneficial for growing the sport's popularity and increasing participation.

England Beach Soccer and the national team players have shown resilience and passion in the face of institutional neglect. Unfortunately, passion alone is not enough for sustained success. If the FA is truly committed to football in all its forms, it must step up and treat beach soccer with the seriousness it deserves. Opportunity exists for success, for engagement, for national pride. The potential is there, and the foundation has been laid. The time to act is now.