Goa set to host second Beach Soccer National Championships

Goa will host the Beach Soccer National Championship this year, the All India Football Federation announced on Monday.

The decision to give Goa the hosting right was made during the All India Football Federation's Beach Soccer Committee's virtual meeting. The dates of the tournament are yet to be announced.

AIFF successfully hosted the first-ever men's Beach Soccer National Championship last year in Surat in January, following which the sport made a debut at the National Games.

The meeting was chaired by Ganapati Palguna, and attended by Acting Secretary General M. Satyanarayan, Deputy Chairperson Jignesh Patil, and members S. Dhanasegar, K. Nizamuddin, Sanjay Meshack, and Upen Patel.

"Requests had come in from various Member Associations of the AIFF that the Federation provide some aid for them to acquire Beach Soccer equipment, which can be difficult to obtain," an AIFF media release said.

"Considering this, the Committee suggested that the Federation reserve a part of its budget to not only help the various State FAs garner Beach Soccer-specific equipment but also to train referees and coaches across the country about the game," the release said.

The Beach Soccer Committee also suggested that the various states, especially those in the coastal areas, be encouraged to hold their own Beach Soccer competitions to further spread the game across the country.

Kerala won the first edition of the tournament in Surat defeating Punjab in the finals. They continued their good show and clinched the National Games title in Goa last year.

With teams like Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep, Punjab, and Delhi showing good progress, the second edition of the tournament will help the sport reach more audiences.