Dubai: Hosts UAE have been grouped alongside former multiple world and defending champions Brazil, European champions Spain and a star-studded Egypt for the Eighth Huawei Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup 2018 to be held on Kite Beach, Jumeirah, from November 6-10.

The eight participating teams for the five-day competition were drawn into two groups at the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) headquarters in the presence of Saeed Hareb, the DSC General Secretary, Joan Cusco, the BSWW executive vice-president, and Gene Jiao, president of the Huawei Consumer Business Group, Middle East and Africa.

Brazil, who scored a 2-0 win over Portugal last year to bag their third Dubai title, will have to contend with the hosts, Spain and a fast-improving Egypt in Group A, while three-time Dubai champions Russia will be up against crowd favourites Iran, World Cup runners-up Tahiti and the USA in Group B.

The invitation-only tournament has been held every November in Dubai since 2011 as the finale to the international beach soccer season where champions from all the football zones gather to decide the overall champion. Also held alongside the competition will be the annual awards gala — the ‘Beach Soccer Stars’ — and the launch of the 2019 season.

During the past few years, the tournament has moved to various locations around the city from the Dubai International Marine Club and the Dubai Festival City to the Business Bay area last year.

Showcasing Dubai

“Beach Soccer is always associated with the beach and water. Perhaps last season was the only year when we had it away from the beach but close to the new landmark of Dubai Water Canal. Our aim is to always find a link so that we can showcase Dubai through various sporting events that we organise through the year,” Hareb said.

“We are definitely in the process of finding a permanent home for this tournament, but in case there is a new project that needs to be showcased to the world, then that will always have the first priority,” he added.

The Intercontinental Cup is second only to the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup as the largest and most prestigious event on the international beach soccer calendar. Dubai hosted the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in 2009, and after that teamed up with BSW to organise this annual tournament featuring the best teams in the world.

The schedule of play for the tournament is expected to be finalised in the next two days.

The draw

Group A UAE, Egypt, Brazil, Spain

Group B Tahiti, USA, Iran, Russia