Seychelles unveils official poster for FIFA 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup

Minister Maire-Celine Zialor, Principal Secretary Ralph Jean-Louis, and the president of the SFF, Elvis Chetty with the new poster (Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - The official poster for the 2025 Beach Soccer World Cup, which will be held in Seychelles, has officially been unveiled.

The poster, which will be the main image promoting the showpiece event, was unveiled during a ceremony held at the Family House in Bel Eau this week, in the presence of the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family, Marie-Celine Zialor, the principal secretary for Youth and Sports, Ralph Jean-Louis, and FIFA and Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) representatives.

The poster's stamp-like design evokes the sentimental experience of receiving a postcard and represents Seychelles' hospitable nature.

Ten children from ten different schools took part in the launch, sporting T-shirts with the poster design on the back, lending the occasion a dash of youthful energy.

The president of the SFF, Elvis Chetty, described the poster as not just an image.

“Its theme of nostalgia is brought to life through vibrant colours that reflect the stunning ocean and the natural beauty that Seychelles is renowned for,” said Chetty, adding, “At the heart of the poster is a dynamic player, embodying the athleticism and excitement of the sport we all love.”

Zialor said, “This creative launch marks an exciting milestone as Seychelles prepares to host this globally celebrated sporting event,” and “that will not only bring together athletes from different parts of the world but also tourists who will not only experience this prestigious event on Seychelles soil but also get to experience our Creole culture and tradition.”

The 2025 tournament will take place between May 1 and May 11, with 16 nations set to compete, including the hosts, Seychelles, who will be participating in their first-ever global football tournament.

Tahiti, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belarus, Senegal and Mauritania have already qualified for the 16-team tournament, leaving another eight places available.

This unveiling marks another milestone as Seychelles moves closer towards being the first African nation to host the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, where just last week, the official match ball that will be used during the tournament was revealed.

The custom match ball has been designed by the popular brand Adidas and will be used for all 32 matches and training sessions during the tournament.

Next year, the SFF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family and FIFA, will launch a colouring competition for schoolchildren aged six to ten, and the winning artworks will be showcased at the stadium fan experience during the Beach Soccer World Cup.

This is not the first time Seychelles has hosted an international beach soccer tournament. In 2015, the island nation hosted the COSAFA Beach Soccer Cup and the Beach Soccer African Nations Championship (AFCON).

In the first edition of the COSAFA tournament in 2015, Madagascar was the winner. The team was selected to compete at the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and was again the winner.

The first edition of the Beach Soccer World Cup held outside Brazil was in 2008 in Marseille, France.

The most recent edition in 2024 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Brazil were crowned champions for the sixth time after defeating Italy 6–4 in the final.