The final stages of the Costa Blanca Cup Futsal have arrived after the group stages have been completed
Eighty-two matches were played this Friday on the courts of Benidorm, Calpe, Altea, Villajoyosa, and Alfaz del Pi on the second day of the international youth futsal tournament
The futsal courts of Benidorm, Calpe, Altea, Villajoyosa, and Alfaz del Pi hosted the second day of the group stage of the Costa Blanca Cup Futsal. This Friday saw another marathon double morning and afternoon session with up to 82 matches, in addition to the traditional meeting between the coaches of the teams (97) that comprise the various men's and women's categories of this international youth futsal tournament, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
With the Thursday and Friday group stage match schedule complete, the qualifying rounds have been finalized. The final stages of the tournament begin this Saturday with the quarterfinals and semifinals of both the A and B series, thus paving the way for determining which teams will compete this coming Sunday in the finals for the respective categories, as well as the overall champion of the Costa Blanca Cup Futsal.
The futsal segment will be the prelude to next week's soccer tournament within the Costa Blanca Cup. Overall, along with the soccer championship next week, the 2025 edition stands out as a record-breaking event. At the close of the registration phase, the organizer, Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas, will organize a tournament that will feature a total of 305 teams from 30 countries. It all begins with the indoor competition, which will take place between July 2 and 6. Soccer will then follow, now in its thirty-first edition, which will be held between July 6 and 12.
In the case of the Costa Blanca Cup Futsal, which has historically seen the participation of 1,050 teams from 25 different countries over 20 years, for 2025, the figures released with the closing of the futsal registration phase reveal that a total of 97 teams from eleven countries will participate. Up to 38 foreign teams will participate in the various venues in the Marina Alta and Baja regions, 37 Spanish teams (specifically from outside the Valencian Community), and 22 Valencian teams will participate. On an international level, the return of Brazil, a powerhouse in the futsal world, after several years, is notable. From Europe, teams from France, Spain, England, and Belgium will be present, especially in the futsal competition. For the first time in futsal, the United States will be present. Also significant is the participation of teams from Taiwan, Lebanon, and Venezuela. In the case of the international youth football tournament, there will be 208 teams, representing up to 19 countries. While there will be a notable local mix, with 51 teams, the actual numbers of clubs from outside the Valencian region are even: there will be 80 teams from the rest of Spain and 77 from abroad. Internationally, the consolidation of participation by teams from two regions of the world is important. On the one hand, the Middle East with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. On the other, the Caribbean, with the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico with ten teams. China returns after several years of absence, as do Brazil and Taiwan, which have doubled up in both football and futsal. Iceland, a country of barely 300,000 inhabitants and with very few federation members, has competed in 21 of the 31 editions of the Costa Blanca Cup. The United States' presence is also growing.