TEHRAN – Iran national beach soccer team coach Marco Octavio says they will participate at the Asian championship with the aim of booking a place in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

Team Melli have been drawn in Group D along with Oman and Iraq in the 2019 AFC Beach Soccer Championship Thailand.

The second edition of the premier beach soccer championship in Asia will be an important competition as the top three teams will represent the Continent in the 2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay.

The AFC Beach Soccer Championship Thailand 2019 will be played in Pattaya from March 9-17, 2019.

“Without a doubt, we have an excellent team in the Asian championship. We’ve found 86 new players across the country and they took part in our training camps. It’s very important having young players for the future,” the Brazilian said in an interview with Iran Football Federation’s website.

“In my opinion, Iran beach soccer department moves in right direction and I hope the federation will support it more. The beach soccer department needs more support to launch a standard league,” Octavio added.  

“Due to the fact that Iran beach soccer team have defeated the world’s giants, namely Brazil, Spain, Russia, Portugal and Italy, they need more support too. Beach soccer is very interesting for the Iranian people and I find out this matter when I meet them in the streets. From 2012 I started my job here, we have won nine international cups and I think the team deserve more,” Octavio stated.

“Now, we are focusing on the Asian championship because we want to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. However, we know that Team Melli have a difficult task ahead in Thailand. But we are well-prepared and our main goal is winning one of the three places. Iraq are a strong team and we don’t take anything for granted in Thailand,” the Brazilian coach concluded.