UAE face Tahiti in Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup

The UAE will take on World Cup hosts Tahiti in their opener of the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup 2012 that kicks off on October 30.

The UAE has been drawn in Group A along with defending world champions Russia, the US and Tahiti, who are scheduled to host the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup next year.

The competition is bound to be a huge hit with a specially set up pitch at the Dubai Festival City playing host to the event from October 30 to November 3.

Asian champions Japan will take on European champions and runners-up in the last World Cup, Switzerland in the opening match at 4.45pm on October 30, followed by Russia facing the US and Brazil taking on Nigeria and the last match between the hosts and Tahiti.

On October 31, the UAE will face the US and on November 1 the hosts will round off their group fixtures with a match against Russia. The semi-finals will be held on November 2 followed by the final the next day.

The UAE will be looking at a strong start to the competition that is meant to act as a preparation for the Asian round of qualifying to the 2013 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti from September 18-28.

The AFC Beach Soccer Championship is the main competition to decide the qualifiers to the World Cup.

Japan will be the other challenger from Asia challenging for the title. Japan is considered one of the most successful beach soccer teams in Asia after winning the Asian qualifiers twice and qualifying to the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup on every occasion it has been held so far.

This is the second year that Dubai is hosting the prestigious Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup. Dubai had earlier also played a successful host to the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in 2009.

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