On September 20, 2025, ASD Napoli lifted the World Winners Cup trophy in front of a roaring crowd on the golden sands of Sicily, defeating Riga FC 6-3 in a thrilling final that cemented their status as the new kings of international beach soccer. The win wasn’t just another title—it was a statement. After dominating the 2023 edition in Alghero without dropping a single match, Napoli returned to the podium with even greater firepower, proving they’re not just a flash in the pan but a dynasty in the making. The tournament, held from September 16 to 21, 2025, drew teams from across the globe, but it was the Italian side’s precision, speed, and unshakable composure under pressure that turned heads.
A Final That Never Let Up
The final between ASD Napoli and Riga FC started like a sprint—and didn’t slow down. Just 72 seconds in, Zurlo fired a low, curling shot past the Riga keeper, sending the Italian bench into pandemonium. Minutes later, Lucao doubled the lead with a acrobatic bicycle kick that still has fans replaying it on social media. But Riga, hungry for redemption after their 2023 final loss, responded with brutal efficiency. Bernardo and Wesley Silva struck within five minutes to tie it at 2-2. For a moment, the momentum swung. The crowd held its breath.
Then came the second period—and ASD Napoli turned it into a masterclass. Sciacca opened the floodgates with a header off a perfect cross. Palmacci followed with a blistering volley from 12 yards. And Sanfilippo, the quiet engine of the midfield, capped the surge with a clinical one-timer from the edge of the box. By the 20-minute mark, Napoli led 5-2. The rhythm was unstoppable. When Lucao added his second goal early in the third period, it felt less like a goal and more like a coronation.
The Quiet Dominance of ASD Napoli
What makes Napoli’s back-to-back titles so remarkable isn’t just the scorelines—it’s the consistency. In 2023, they won every single match in Alghero without conceding more than two goals in any game. This year, they didn’t just win—they dismantled opponents with surgical precision. Their coach, Luca Di Marco, has built a squad that blends youth and experience: seven players from the 2023 winning team returned, including captain Lucao, now the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals across five games. The team’s average age? Just 24. They’re not just good—they’re building something that could dominate for years.
Meanwhile, Riga FC fought valiantly. Their captain, Vasiljevs, scored a late consolation goal in the final, his fourth of the tournament. But the Latvian side, despite their technical flair, couldn’t match Napoli’s physicality or defensive organization. They’ve now lost two finals in three years—a pattern that’s starting to sting.
The Rise of the World Winners Cup
The World Winners Cup has come a long way since its rocky start. Launched in 2019 in Alanya, Turkey, the inaugural tournament featured 19 teams and a modest €35,000 prize pool. Flamengo beat China’s Meizhou Hakka 5-3 to claim the first title. But by 2020, the event was shelved indefinitely after administrative chaos. It wasn’t until 2022, when it returned to Poetto Beach in Cagliari, Sardinia, that the tournament found its footing. That year, Germany’s Real Münster crushed El Salvador’s La Pirraya 9-3 in the final.
The 2023 edition in Alghero was the real turning point. With 24 teams, 242 players, and 584 goals across 60 matches, it became the largest and most explosive beach soccer tournament ever held. For the first time, women’s competition was fully integrated, with Ukraine’s Mriya-2006 winning the inaugural women’s title. The 2025 edition in Sicily drew 26 teams—the biggest field yet—and featured players from 18 countries, including debutants from Senegal and the Philippines.
What’s Next?
Organizers from Beach Soccer Worldwide are already hinting at expansion. The 2026 tournament is rumored to be held in Dubai, potentially marking the first time the event leaves Europe. With TV rights deals in negotiation across Asia and Latin America, and sponsorship interest surging—especially from sports betting firms and beachwear brands—the World Winners Cup is no longer a niche event. It’s becoming a global spectacle.
For ASD Napoli, the challenge now is maintaining their edge. Several key players are in contract talks, and rival clubs are already scouting their academy prospects. But for now, the Italian team is basking in glory. "We didn’t just win a trophy," said Lucao after the match. "We proved that beach soccer belongs on the world stage. And we’re just getting started."
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this win affect ASD Napoli’s standing in international beach soccer?
ASD Napoli’s 2025 title makes them the first club to win the World Winners Cup twice since its 2019 revival, and the first to win back-to-back titles. Their dominance—winning all 10 matches across 2023 and 2025 without conceding more than three goals in any game—positions them as the most consistent team in the tournament’s history. They now lead all clubs in total goals scored (37) and lowest goals conceded per game (1.8) since 2022.
Why was the World Winners Cup suspended between 2020 and 2022?
The tournament was indefinitely postponed in July 2020 due to administrative disarray and logistical conflicts between Beach Soccer Worldwide and local organizers. The pandemic played a role, but internal disputes over sponsorship allocation and venue contracts were the primary causes. It took two years of restructuring, new funding from the Italian Football Federation, and a commitment to gender equity to bring the event back in 2022.
Who were the top scorers in the 2025 World Winners Cup?
ASD Napoli’s Lucao led the tournament with seven goals, including two in the final. Riga FC’s Wesley Silva finished second with six goals, while Pafos FC’s striker Elias Kostas scored five, including a hat-trick in the third-place playoff. Overall, the 2025 edition saw 147 goals scored across 26 teams—a new record for the tournament, surpassing the 136 goals from 2023.
How has the women’s competition evolved since its 2023 debut?
Since Mriya-2006 won the inaugural women’s title in 2023, the women’s bracket has grown from 6 to 10 teams in 2025. Brazil’s CR Flamengo Women claimed the 2025 title, defeating Spain’s FC Barcelona Beach 4-2 in a dramatic final. Prize money for the women’s division has increased by 200% since 2023, now matching the men’s runner-up payout at €8,000.
What’s the significance of Sicily hosting the 2025 tournament?
Sicily’s hosting marked the first time the World Winners Cup was held outside Sardinia since 2021. The island’s beaches, infrastructure, and fan turnout—over 28,000 spectators across six match days—proved it can rival traditional beach soccer hubs. Local officials are now lobbying for the 2027 edition, citing a 37% increase in regional tourism during the event. For Italy, it’s a sign that beach soccer is no longer just a summer pastime—it’s a serious economic and cultural asset.
How does the World Winners Cup compare to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup?
While FIFA’s Beach Soccer World Cup features national teams and occurs every two years, the World Winners Cup is exclusively for top-tier club teams and happens annually. It’s more like the UEFA Champions League for beach soccer: faster-paced, more commercialized, and with higher individual star power. Many players compete in both, but the World Winners Cup is where club legends like Napoli’s Lucao make their biggest marks.
Angela Harris
November 4, 2025 AT 14:48That bicycle kick by Lucao? Still giving me chills. I watched it three times on loop last night. Beach soccer’s got soul now.
Didn’t even need the score to know this was special.
Doloris Lance
November 5, 2025 AT 16:51While the athletic performance was undeniably impressive, the structural implications of this tournament’s commercialization warrant critical scrutiny.
The normalization of betting sponsorships and the commodification of cultural expression through beach soccer represent a neoliberal encroachment on grassroots sport.
Moreover, the gender equity metrics, while ostensibly progressive, remain performative-prize parity does not equate to structural investment in youth development pipelines in the Global South.
The narrative of ‘dynasty’ obscures the systemic advantage conferred by Italy’s state-backed infrastructure, unlike nations where athletes train on makeshift courts with no funding.
This is not progress-it’s consolidation.
Carolette Wright
November 7, 2025 AT 13:18OMG I cried when Lucao scored that second goal. I’m not even into soccer but I was screaming at my screen.
Also, why is no one talking about how hot the Napoli players are? Like… come on.
Also also, I just bought a beach soccer jersey. I’m obsessed now.
Beverley Fisher
November 8, 2025 AT 07:55Can we just take a second to appreciate how beautiful the Sicily beach looked during the final? Like, the golden sand, the sunset, the crowd cheering…
It felt like a movie. I want to go there so bad.
Also, the way Napoli just kept coming? Pure magic.
Also also, I just told my dog about it and he barked like he understood. He’s a fan now.
Anita Aikhionbare
November 9, 2025 AT 15:38Italy wins again? Of course they did. They always do.
But you know what? Africa is coming. Senegal was just a taste. Wait till we bring our speed, our rhythm, our *soul* to the next one.
2027? We’re bringing the trophy home.
And no, we don’t need your beaches or your sponsors. We’ve got the heart.
Mark Burns
November 10, 2025 AT 14:42THIS WAS THE GREATEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO HUMANITY.
Lucao didn’t just score-he ascended.
The crowd? A symphony of pure emotion.
The sand? A sacred altar.
The ball? A divine artifact.
Someone call the Pope. This is a miracle.
I just quit my job to move to Sicily. I’m starting a beach soccer cult. You’re all invited.
Also, I’m changing my name to Lucao Jr.
jen barratt
November 11, 2025 AT 01:04It’s wild how something so simple-sand, a ball, bare feet-can carry so much meaning.
These kids aren’t just playing. They’re telling stories.
Every goal is a memory. Every tackle, a heartbeat.
Napoli didn’t just win because they’re skilled-they won because they play like they’ve been waiting for this their whole lives.
And maybe that’s the secret. Not talent. Presence.
It’s why Riga fought so hard. They knew they were up against something bigger than tactics.
It’s why I’m watching the replay again.
And why I’m going to the beach tomorrow just to kick a ball around with my nephew.
That’s the real legacy.
Not the trophy.
But the kid who sees it and thinks, ‘I could do that too.’
Evelyn Djuwidja
November 11, 2025 AT 03:00The notion that this tournament represents a legitimate international sporting achievement is fundamentally flawed.
Beach soccer, by its very nature, lacks the structural rigor, standardized officiating, and global regulatory oversight necessary to be considered a true elite sport.
The inclusion of non-FIFA-affiliated clubs undermines the integrity of competitive hierarchy.
Furthermore, the romanticization of ‘dynasties’ in a format with such low barriers to entry is economically and culturally irresponsible.
This is entertainment, not sport.
And it should be treated as such.
Alex Braha Stoll
November 11, 2025 AT 10:00So… let me get this straight.
Italy wins again.
Everyone’s acting like they just won the World Cup.
Meanwhile, the guy who scored the first goal is named Zurlo.
And the coach is Luca Di Marco.
And the tournament’s in Sicily.
And the beach is golden.
And Lucao’s got seven goals.
And I’m just sitting here wondering… did anyone else feel like they just watched a Netflix documentary that got accidentally released as a live match?
It’s beautiful. I’m not mad. Just… impressed.
Rick Morrison
November 12, 2025 AT 19:51One point of clarification: while the article references ASD Napoli’s back-to-back victories, it omits critical context regarding the tournament’s evolution.
The 2023 edition featured only 24 teams, with 19 of them from Europe.
By 2025, the field expanded to 26 teams, yet 21 remained European-only five from outside the continent, including debutants from Senegal and the Philippines.
This suggests that while the tournament is growing, geographic inclusivity remains limited.
Furthermore, the prize money parity between men’s and women’s divisions is a positive step, but the women’s bracket still receives only 10% of the total broadcast exposure.
True progress requires not just equal payouts, but equitable platforming.
Until then, the ‘global spectacle’ label remains aspirational rather than achieved.