UAE Begin Beach Soccer Championship Quest Against Saudi Arabia in Thailand

The Emirati squad opens their campaign at the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup in pursuit of continental glory, facing Saudi Arabia in Group C of the tournament hosted in Thailand's coastal province.

The UAE will commence their challenge at the 12th AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2026 against Saudi Arabia on 19th November, competing in Group C of a tournament that brings together the continent’s finest coastal football talent. Taking place in Ban Nam Khem in the southern Thai province of Phang Nga, the competition runs until 28th November with twelve nations vying for honour across three groups of four teams each.

This represents the UAE’s eleventh appearance at the Finals stage and their eighth consecutive tournament, a testament to consistent excellence in the discipline. The Emirati team brings formidable pedigree to the competition, having captured back-to-back continental titles in 2007 and 2008, and now seeks to reassert their dominance at the highest level of beach soccer competition.

Group C presents a formidable assembly of talent. Alongside the UAE and Saudi Arabia stands Oman, the 2015 champions who finished as runners-up last year, and Uzbekistan, who return to the tournament after missing the 2025 edition. Saudi Arabia themselves bring substantial experience, competing in their third consecutive Finals and fourth overall, having achieved their best-ever performance of fourth place in the previous edition.

The tournament’s structure ensures compelling progression pathways. The winners and runners-up of each group, together with the two best third-placed teams, advance to the quarter-finals on 25th November. The semi-finals follow on 27th November, with both the third-place playoff and the championship final scheduled for 28th November.

Group A brings together Japan, Bahrain, Thailand and Iraq, whilst Group B features Iran, the reigning record four-time champions, alongside Afghanistan, with Lebanon and Vietnam completing the lineup. The breadth of participating nations underscores the flourishing state of beach soccer across Asia and the continent’s commitment to developing talent across all formats of the beautiful game.

Source: WAM