Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) Beach Soccer Committee Head Josephril Partosa (in blue shirt) discusses the holding of a beach soccer tournament with Bohol football coaches. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA) is introducing beach soccer in Cebu and Bohol before the year 2019 ends.
Beach Soccer, otherwise known as sand football, is a variation of football played on the beach or some form of sand.
Architect Josephril Partosa, who is head of the Beach Soccer committee of the CVFA, said that they will start a beach soccer tournament as it is required by the International Federation of Football Association (FIFA), the world governing body for football, and its local counterpart, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
Holding a beach soccer competition, according to Partosa, also allows for the rehabilitation of football fields as beach soccer is played on a beach or sand.
There is certainly no lack of beaches in the Philippines being an archipelago.
According to Partosa, initial plans would be to have four elimination legs—Cebu North, Cebu South, Cebu City and Bohol-Panglao with the top two teams from each elimination advancing to the final round in May 2020 in Bohol.
Partosa already had a meeting with coaches in Bohol to discuss the holding of beach soccer tournaments.
The eliminations will be in single round robin format with each team having a lineup of 12 with five players to play per match.
Partosa said they are looking at having a men’s and women’s open divisions.
They’re hoping to start eliminations by November 2019 as there will still be a lot to prepare including setting up the game’s rules.
He said beach soccer has different rules from football and futsal.
Included in the preparations is the training of referees. / celr
CAPTION: CVFA Beach Soccer committee head Josephril Partosa (in blue) discusses the holding of a beach soccer tournament with Bohol football coaches. Contributed Photo