A Closer Look at the Nations Competing in the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup

The roster for the highly anticipated 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup is now complete, with a diverse array of nations punching their tickets to the prestigious tournament. Recent qualifiers include Angola, Libya, and Morocco from Africa, as well as Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, and Panama representing the North and Central America. Joining them are Asian representatives Uzbekistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Thailand and Afghanistan, solidifying the 24-team line-up for the tournament set to unfold from September 14 to October 6, 2024 in Uzbekistan.

Main picture source: FIFA

Among the confirmed participants are four former world champions who have left an indelible mark on the sport. Brazil, with their illustrious history and five-time championship titles, will once again showcase their formidable talent on the global stage. Spain, Argentina, and Portugal, each boasting their own rich futsal heritage, have also secured their spots, aiming to add another chapter to their storied legacies. Additionally, the Netherlands, runners-up in the first edition in 1989, will bring their trademark flair to the tournament.

Adding a fresh dynamic to the competition, newcomers New Zealand and France will make their World Cup debuts, eager to make their mark among the futsal elite. Afghanistan and Tajikistan, are additional first-time participant, who will seek to prove their mettle against the world’s best in their inaugural appearance as well.

With the stage set and the stakes higher than ever, fans can anticipate a thrilling display of futsal prowess as these 24 nations vie for supremacy on the court.

The 24 teams who have qualified

Nations confirmed for the FIFA Futsal World Cup:

• Oceania: New Zealand secured their spot in the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup by retaining the OFC Futsal Nations Cup. The nation won the title for first time in 2023, and repeated their success this year, defeating former powerhouses, the Solomon Islands in the semi-finals, and then Tahiti in the final. Hosting the qualifying competition added to their triumph as they lifted the trophy in front of their home fans.
• Asia: Uzbekistan qualify as the host nation, Thailand, Iran and Tajikistan  secured their place in the world cup reaching the semi-final stages, Tajikistan qualified to the World Cup for the first time. Iran won the competition and their 13th title, and Afghanistan made history. Debutants in the qualifying competition, due to Uzbekistan being hosts, the Afghans qualified through a play-off defeating Kyrgyzstan.
• South America: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela, qualified by filling the top four places at the Copa América de Futsal tournament held in Paraguay in February 2024.
• Europe: France, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, Croatia and Netherlands qualified, the Netherlands doing so in an intense and closely contested battle against Finland, a match decided with second left on the clock.
• Africa: Angola, Libya, and Morocco clinched their places in the World Cup through the highly competitive 2024 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations. Hosted and impeccably promoted by the Moroccan FA, the tournament showcased the best of African futsal talent. The Moroccan national team emerged as champions in style, delivering a masterful and experienced performance that underscored their dominance on the African futsal stage. Angola’s remarkable journey to the final marked a historic milestone as they reached the championship match for the first time in their history. Their achievement speaks volumes about their growing presence and competitiveness in African futsal. The nation also has ambitions to launch Africa’s first professional futsal league, maybe securing another World Cup slot in a row will assist its development, and gain support from the public, the Angolan Football Association and the private sector.
• Central and North America: Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, and Panama earned their spots in the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup by clinching the top positions at the 2024 CONCACAF Futsal Championship. However, the tournament brought both triumphs and challenges for the participating teams. Costa Rica, a powerhouse in CONCACAF futsal, fell short of winning their fourth consecutive title, settling for fourth place instead. Their performance underscores the fierce competition in the region and the need for continued improvement to maintain their dominance. Cuba, despite being the youngest squad in the competition, impressed by testing both former champions and eventual winners, Panama. Their promising performance signals their potential as a team to watch in future competitions, highlighting the bright future of Cuban futsal. However, the CONCACAF region faces significant challenges, particularly in terms of development and investment. The tournament revealed a prevalent old-school perspective in the style of play, indicating the need for modernisation and tactical evolution. Investing in coaching and infrastructure will be crucial to elevate the quality of play and competitiveness in the region.

Notable Omissions: Absentees from the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup

Asia,

Asia, a region known for its strong futsal tradition, witnessed several notable absences in the race to the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup:

• Japan: Despite being the reigning champions, Japan’s journey in the qualifiers came to an unexpected halt as they failed to progress from Group C. A 2-3 defeat to Kyrgyzstan and a 1-1 draw with Tajikistan proved decisive in their elimination from the competition.
• Vietnam: Led by former World Cup-winning coach Diego Giustozzi, Vietnam faced disappointment as they failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since their debut in 2016. Their campaign ended in the quarter-finals of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup, suffering a defeat to Uzbekistan.
• Australia: Making a return to international futsal after a prolonged absence, Australia showcased promising performances in preparatory competitions and in this qualifier. However, their wait for a return to the World Cup will continue, with their last qualification dating back to 2016.

Africa

In the realm of African futsal, a notable shift in power dynamics has emerged, reshaping the landscape of the region. Once a dominant force, Egypt has witnessed a decline in its futsal standing, trailing behind emerging powerhouses like Morocco and Angola. Libya, despite initial setbacks, secured a coveted World Cup spot by overcoming Egypt in a tense playoff encounter. Despite Egypt’s initial 4-0 victory over Libya in their opening group match, their subsequent 2-2 draw in the third-place playoff followed by a loss on penalties dashed their World Cup aspirations, highlighting the unpredictable nature of futsal.

Central and North America 

America entered the CONCACAF Futsal Championship as a top contender and with high expectations, having secured a runner-up position in their regional championship during the previous World Cup cycle. Their performance in 2021 was particularly impressive, conceding only 5 goals in the group stage and an additional 4 goals throughout the knockout stages en route to the final.

However, the team’s fortunes took a downturn this year, conceding a total of 16 goals – 14 in the group stage and an additional two in the quarterfinals. This defensive vulnerability, coupled with concerning displays of discipline and temperament, has raised questions regarding both the players and coaching staff.

Dusan Jakica, the former coach of the U.S National Futsal team, brought a wealth of futsal-specific experience to the role, achieving notable results including leading the team to a the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup. In contrast, the current coach, Hewerton Moreira, and his predecessor, Keith Tozer, while having experience in futsal, are primarily dedicated to indoor soccer. Keith enjoyed an illustrious career in indoor soccer and is currently the League Commissioner for Major Arena Soccer League. Unfortunately, however, under their leadership, the US national futsal team has faced challenges in qualifying for World Cups.

The lack of success over the past 20 years (except for Dusan’s achievement) should serve as a catalyst for the American Futsal community to advocate for prioritising futsal development within US Soccer. This entails allocating opportunities for coaches and players who are solely dedicated to futsal, thereby investing in its long-term growth. Neglecting coaches and players committed to futsal undermines the value of futsal leagues and tournaments across the states and diminishes the incentive for individuals to pursue coach education or enhance their skills as players.

Without accessible opportunities for involvement and advancement, there’s a risk of stagnating talent development and the overall quality of futsal within the nation. Therefore, it is imperative for US Soccer to recognize the importance of futsal and to provide the necessary resources and pathways for its dedicated practitioners to thrive.

South America 

While Colombia hosted the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2016 and  reached the semi-finals in 2012, losing to Brazil and finishing fourth in the competition, the nations aspirations for another shot at the tournament remain unfulfilled. Despite their efforts, the nation continues to await its return to the global stage, highlighting the competitive nature of South American futsal. We also ponder when the home of futsal, Uruguay, will return to the competition, they have been absent since 2008.

Europe

In UEFA, significant shifts have occurred since the last World Cup cycle. In 2021, Lithuania secured qualification as hosts, accompanied by European powerhouses such as Kazakhstan, Portugal, Russia, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Serbia. However, the landscape has transformed for the 2024 edition. While Spain, Portugal, and Kazakhstan return to the tournament, Croatia, France, and Ukraine have emerged as new contenders. Notably, Russia’s absence persists due to international expulsion stemming from the conflict in Ukraine.

Profiles: Exploring the Futsal Nations

In this section, we delve into the profiles of the nations competing in the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup. From seasoned powerhouses to emerging contenders, each team brings its unique blend of talent, strategy, and history to the tournament. Get to know the coaches, key players, and World Cup histories of these diverse nations as they vie for supremacy on the futsal stage:

Afghanistan – Lions of Khorasan

Coach: Majid Mortezaei
Key Players: Mohammad Javad Safari, Akbar Kazemi, Mahdi Nowrozi
World Cup History: Debutants.

Angola – The Sable Antelopes

Coach: Marcos Antunes
Key Players: Braulio, Chico, Helber
World Cup History: Participated once; no wins, three losses. Best performance was the group stage in 2021.

Argentina – La Albiceleste

Coach: Matias Lucuix
Key Players: Nico Sarmiento, Lucas Tripodi, Kiki Vaporaki
World Cup History: 9 participations; champions in 2016. A strong contender with 30 wins.

Brazil – A Seleção

Coach: Marquinhos Xavier
Key Players: Dyego, Leandro Lino, Pito
World Cup History: Brazil has dominated with five championships. Record biggest win was against Guatemala (29-2 in 2000).

Costa Rica – La Sele

Coach: Alex Ramos
Key Players: Minor Cabalceta, Diego Chavarria, Milinton Tijerino
World Cup History: 5 participations; best finish in the last 16 in 2016.

Croatia – The Mini Blazers

Coach: Marinko Mavrovic
Key Players: Franco Jelovcic, Dario Marinovic, Luka Peric
World Cup History: Made it to the second group stage in their only participation in 2000.

Cuba – Lions of the Caribbean

Coach: Osmel Valdivia
Key Players: Jonathan Hernandez, Iduan Martinez, Kevin Rueda
World Cup History: Participated in five World Cups with one win and 15 losses. Best finish was in the group stage.

France – Les Bleus

Coach: Raphael Reynaud
Key Players: Abdessamad Mohammed, Souheil Mouhoudine, Mamadou Toure
World Cup History: Debutants.

Guatemala – La Azul y Blanco

Coach: Eduardo Estrada
Key Players: Roberto Alvarado, Patrick Ruiz, Marvin Sandoval
World Cup History: Participated in five World Cups with five wins and 11 losses. Best finish was in the group stage.

IR Iran – Team Melli

Coach: Vahid Shamsaei
Key Players: Asghar Hassanzadeh, Moslem Oladghobad, Hossein Tayyebi
World Cup History: Eight participations with 19 wins and 15 losses. Best finish was third place in 2016.

Kazakhstan – The Hawks

Coach: Kaka
Key Players: Douglas Junior, Leo Higuita, Taynan
Nickname: The Hawks
World Cup History: Three participations with six wins and six losses. Best finish was in the semi-finals in 2021.

Libya – Mediterranean Knights

Coach: Ricardo Iniguez
Key Players: Mahmoud Abd Elwahab, Mohamed Said, Ali Shoshan
World Cup History: Participated twice with no wins and six losses. Best finish was in the group stage.

Morocco – The Atlas Lions

Coach: Hicham Dguig
Key Players: Bilal Bakkali, Soufian Charraoui, Soufiane El-Mesrar
World Cup History: Three participations with two wins and seven losses. Best finish was in the quarter-finals in 2021.

Netherlands – La Machina Naranja

Coach: Miguel Andres Moreno
Key Players: Ayoub Boukhari, Manuel Kuijk, Karim Mossaoui
World Cup History: Four participations with 12 wins and nine losses. Best finish was runners-up in 1989.

New Zealand – Futsal Whites

Coach: Marvin Eakins
Key Players: Jordi Ditfort, Hamish Grey, Dylan Manickum
World Cup History: Debutants.

Panama – Los Canaleros

Coach: Alex Del Rosario
Key Players: Alfonso Maquensi, Abdiel Ortiz, Jaime Penaloza
World Cup History: Three participations with two wins and eight losses. Best finish was in the last 16 in 2012.

Paraguay – La Albirroja, Los Guaraníes

Coach: Carlos Chilavert
Key Players: Damian Mareco, Alan Rojas, Javier Salas
World Cup History: Seven participations with 12 wins and 15 losses. Best finish was in the quarter-finals in 2016.

Portugal – A Seleção das Quinas

Coach: Jorge Braz
Key Players: Andre Coelho, Zicky Te, Pany Varela
World Cup History: Six participations with 22 wins and nine losses. Best finish was champions in 2021.

Spain – La Roja

Coach: Fede Vidal
Key Players: Chino, Adolfo Fernandez, Miguel Mellado
World Cup History: Nine participations with 48 wins and eight losses. Best finish was champions in 2000 and 2004.

Tajikistan – The Persian Lions

Coach: Pairav Vohidov
Key Players: Firuz Bekmurodov, Dilshod Salomov, Fayzali Sardorov
World Cup History: Debutants.

Thailand – War Elephants

Coach: Miguel Rodrigo
Key Players: Muhammad Osamanmusa, Arut Senbat, Suphawut Thueanklang
World Cup History: Six participations with six wins and 15 losses. Best finish was in the last 16 in 2012, 2016, and 2021.

Ukraine – Yellow-Blues

Coach: Oleksandr Kosenko
Key Players: Ihor Korsun, Petro Shoturma, Nazar Shved
World Cup History: Five participations with 14 wins and 11 losses. Best finish was in the semi-finals in 1996.

Uzbekistan – White Wolves

Coach: Jose Venancio Lopez
Key Players: Davron Choriev, Ilkhomjon Khamroev, Khusniddin Nishonov
World Cup History: Two participations with one win and five losses.

About the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup

As anticipation mounts for the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup, 24 qualifying teams are poised to vie for glory. These teams will be drawn into six groups of four, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive tournament. The group winners, runners-up, and the four best third-placed teams will advance to the Round of 16 knockout stage, where the intensity of the competition reaches new heights. From there, the journey continues with quarter-finals,  semi-finals, and ultimately culminates in a final to crown the new Futsal World Cup champion.