This past weekend the land of sun, sand and sea was the sports tourism hot spot for the highly anticipated return of beach soccer. Six countries including The Bahamas were part of the 2022 Bahamas Beach Soccer Cup which garnered fan support of more than 6,000 at the National Beach Stadium over the three-day event held October 21st – 23rd. The event was also streamed live on Beach Soccer Worldwide with thousands of fan views from around the world including Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos Island, U.S.A. and Canada.
The 36-minute matches had fans on the edge of their seats as the best Men’s and Women’s teams in the Caribbean region took to the sand to score. The Bahamas National Men’s Beach Soccer Team emerged as the overall winner of this year’s tournament beating Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, and Colombia. The National Women’s Team placed third with Trinidad and Tobago as the overall winner.
President of the Bahamas Football Association, Mr. Anton Sealy expressed his gratitude to the coaches, players, staff, fans, and Government for the dedicated focus to the sport and putting on a world class event.
“After a two-year hiatus from the sport due to COVID-19, it was a tremendous win for The Bahamas to host this Cup. To see the thousands of Bahamians come out in support of our national teams as well as guests from around the world was heart-warming. I congratulate all players for putting forth such effort and the coaching staff for their leadership. With the consistent support of our dedicated BFA staff, volunteers and the Government of The Bahamas we can only get better from here,” Sealy expressed.
The Beach Soccer Stadium was filled three nights in a row boosting the local economy with local vendors reaping the benefits through food and drink sales. The BFA’s careful attention to detail made patrons feel safe, entertained, and eager for the next big event.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Honourable Mario K. Bowleg, an avid supporter of soccer, gave his commendation to the BFA and event organizers for building sports tourism in the country.
“The Bahamas as a nation, is small in land mass when compared to others in the Caribbean region. However, we continue to push past any perceived limitations or challenges to remind the world that the size of a nation does not matter but the resilience and strength of the people is what truly counts. I commend all of our athletes, coaches and the organising committee for their dedication to the country and to the great sport of soccer,” Minister Bowleg stated.
The Bahamas Football Association thanks all volunteers, participants, fans, and players for a tremendous showcase of talent and professionalism. The soccer league season will continue Wednesday, 26th October with Men’s Match Day 8 at the Roscow A.L. Davies Field with the Western Warriors vs. Future Stars FC and the Dynamos FC vs. United FC.
