The 2012 Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL) is an annual European competition in beach soccer, organised by Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW). The competitions allows national teams to compete in beach soccer in a league format over the summer months. Each season ends with a Superfinal, deciding the competition winner.
This season, there are eight teams participating in two divisions in each Stage (there are three Stages this year, as opposed to four) that will face each other in a round-robin system. Division A consists of the 8 top teams in Europe based on the BSWW European Ranking. Division B consists of 12 of the lower ranked teams and new entries to the competition. Each division has its own regulations and competition format. This was due to the European qualifying tournament for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup being held during the EBSL season.
Each team competes in two preliminary events to see their points obtained accumulated into an overall ranking that will determine the teams that qualify for the Superfinal. The top six teams of Division A (including the individual Stage winners) will play in the Superfinal in The Hague, the Netherlands from August 23 – 26. The top four teams of Division B (including the individual Stage winners) plus the worst team in Division A and the host team Netherlands will play in the Promotional Final to try to earn promotion to Division A for the 2013 season.
Beginning this season, the Power Horse energy drink company has signed on to become the new sponsor of the EBSL. The logo has been slightly modified to show this.
Eligible EBSL teams
The teams from Division A will compete for the Euro Beach Soccer League title while the teams from Division B will compete for promotion into next year's Division A.
+ 2012 Euro Beach Soccer League Divisions DIVISION A DIVISION B
Note: Netherlands qualifies for Promotion Final as host nation without playing a match.
Stage 1 Terracina, Italy – June, 8 – 10
Participating nations
Final standings
Division A, Group A
Team3300168+893111129+3530121217–5230031420–60 clinched Superfinal Berth
Division A, Group B
Team32012015+5630212123–2431021613+3331021218–63 clinched Superfinal Berth
Division B
Team3201159+663201125+7632011517–263003920–110 Belarus win the stage on goal average clinched Promotional Final Berth
Schedule and results All kickoff times are of local time in Terracina (UTC+02:00).
Individual awards MVP: Paolo Palmacci Top Scorer: Paolo Palmacci (8 goals) Best goalkeeper: Andrey Bukhlitskiy
Source:
Stage 2 Berlin, Germany – August, 3 – 5
Participating nations
Final standings Division A
Team3300156+9930211115–4431021413+1330031218–60 clinched Superfinal Berth
Final standings Division B
Team330094+5932011411+363102910–133003815–70 clinched Promotional Final Berth
Schedule and results All kickoff times are of local time in Berlin (UTC+02:00).
Individual awards MVP: Dmitry Shishin Top Scorer: Dmitry Shishin (7 goals) Best goalkeeper: Danila Ippolitov
Source:
Stage 3 Torredembarra, Spain – August, 17 – 19
Participating nations
Final standings Division A
Team32011714+3630211112–1431021719–2331029903 clinched Superfinal Berth
Final standings Division B
Team3300277+20932011611+563102915–633003625–190 clinched Promotional Final Berth
Schedule and results All kickoff times are of local time in Torredembarra (UTC+02:00).
Individual awards MVP: Llorenç Gómez Top Scorer: Llorenç Gómez (7 goals) Best goalkeeper: Paulo Graça
Source:
Cumulative standings
clinched Superfinal Berth clinched Promotional Final Berthclinched Promotional Final Berth (best Stage runner-up)
Ranking & tie-breaking criteria: Division A – 1. Points earned 2. Goal difference 3. Goals scored | Division B – 1. Points earned 2. Highest stage placement 3. Goal difference 4. Goals scored.
Division A Team166003114+1718264023729+812362132928+18461233032–27561232333–107662043026+46760332329–66860062638–120
Division B Team13300277+2092330094+5933201159+6643201125+76532011611+56632011411+36732011517–2683102910–1393102915–63103003815–70113003920–110123003625–190
EBSL Superfinal and Promotional Final – The Hague, Netherlands – August, 23 – 26
Superfinal and Promotional Final Divisions
The Divisions for the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal have not yet been determined. The teams from Division A will compete for the Euro Beach Soccer League title while the teams from Division B will compete for promotion into next year's Division A.
+ 2012 Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal Divisions DIVISION A(Superfinal) DIVISION B(Promotional Final) automatic entry as hosts
Division A (Superfinal)
Group a standings Team2200136+76210197+232002312–90 clinched Superfinal Group
Group b standings Team2200145+962101711–432002712–50 clinched Superfinal Group
Schedule and results All kickoff times are of local time in The Hague (UTC+02:00).
Round-Robin
Fifth-place Match
Third-place Match
Championship final Match
Individual awards MVP: Dmitry Shishin Top Scorer: Dejan Stankovic (7 goals) Best goalkeeper: Valentin Jaeggy
Source:
Final Division A Standing
RankTeam 1 (First EBSL Title) 2 3 4 5 6
Division B (Promotional Final)
Group a standings Team210165+1321017703210167–13 clinched Promotional Final Group
Group b standings Team220083+56210179–23200247–30 clinched Promotional Final Group
Schedule and results All kickoff times are of local time in The Hague (UTC+02:00).
Round-Robin
Fifth-place Match
Third-place Match
Championship final Match
Final Division B Standing
RankTeam 1 (promoted to 2013 EBSL Division A) 2 (promoted to 2013 EBSL Division A) 3 (promoted to 2013 EBSL Division A) 4 (promoted to 2013 EBSL Division A) 5 (promoted to 2013 EBSL Division A) 6 BSWW increased the number of participating teams in Division A from eight to twelve in 2013, meaning five nations, rather than the usual one, were promoted at the end of this season.
See also Beach soccer Euro Beach Soccer League
References
External links Highlights of the Euro Beach Soccer League Superfinal Beach Soccer Worldwide Eurosport TV Power Horse Energy Drink, the official EBSL sponsor