Qantas Australian Men’s Beach Football Team have drawn China PR, Iran and Oman in Group B of the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers which will be played in Dubai from 7 to 11 November 2009. Japan, Bahrain and Uzbekistan have been drawn in Group A of the tournament.

From the seven-nation tournament, the top two teams from each group will enter the semi-finals phase, with the winners of the semi-finals progressing to the final and will also qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009.

The FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 will be played in Dubai from 16 to 22 November 2009 and involves 16 nations including United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Uruguay, Solomon Islands, Spain, Côte d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Russia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Italy, Brazil, Nigeria and Switzerland.

The Qantas Australian Men’s Beach Football Team landed in the UAE on Monday and overnight played a friendly match against the African Beach Soccer Champions, Nigeria. The Qantas Australian Men’s Beach Football Team took an early 2-0 lead but then conceded three goals in succession, before equalising. Late in the game Nigeria again took the lead and then extended it to eventually run out 5-3 victors.

The Qantas Australian Men’s Beach Football team will face the Bahrain National Beach Soccer Team in their final friendly match on Wednesday 4 November at Jumeirah Beach, before their opening match of the tournament against Iran on Saturday 7 November.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers
Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
7-11 November 2009

Group A Group B
Japan Iran
Bahrain China
Uzbekistan Oman
*UAE/France Australia
* UAE and France will play friendly matches against the Group A team who will not play

GROUP STAGE
Date Match Pitch Time (local) Fixture
Sat 07/11/09 1 2 3:00pm China v Oman
Sat 07/11/09 2 3 3:00pm Australia v Iran
Sat 07/11/09 3 2 Followed by Bahrain v Uzbekistan
Sat 07/11/09 4 3 Followed by UAE v Japan
Sun 08/11/09 5 2 3:00pm Iran v Oman
Sun 08/11/09 6 3 3:00pm China v Australia
Sun 08/11/09 7 2 Followed by Bahrain v UAE
Sun 08/11/09 8 3 Followed by Japan v Uzbekistan
Mon 09/11/09 9 2 3:00pm Oman v Australia
Mon 09/11/09 10 3 3:00pm Iran v China
Mon 09/11/09 11 2 Followed by Uzbekistan v France
Mon 09/11/09 12 3 Followed by Japan v Bahrain
SEMI FINALS
Date Match Pitch Time (local) Fixture
Tue 10/11/09 13 2 3:00pm 1st Group B v 2nd Group A
Tue 10/11/09 14 2 Followed by 1st Group A v 2nd Group B
FINALS
Date Match Pitch Time (local) Fixture
Wed 11/11/09 3rd/4th Play-Off Stadium 4:00pm Loser Match 13 v Loser Match 14
Wed 11/11/09 Final Stadium Followed by Winner Match 13 v Winner Match 14
WC Test Stadium 8:00pm UAE v France

Qantas Australian Men’s Beach Football Squad
FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 Asian Qualifiers
Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
7-11 November 2009.

Player Club
Stacy Alogdellis PCYC Parramatta Eagles
Jim Bakis Sutherland Sharks
Jonathon Cook South Adelaide Panthers
Peter Crevani St George
Joshua Da Palma Uncontracted
Ivo De Jesus Inter Lions
Steve Karavatakis Sutherland Sharks
Andrew Mailer Manly United
Danny Martinez Sydney Wanderers
Michael Matricciani Campbelltown City
Khalil Popal Uncontracted
George Souris Sutherland Sharks