UEFA.com

New-look Futsal Cup takes shape


A record 40 clubs will compete in the sixth edition of the UEFA Futsal Cup in 2006/07 with six new nations sending teams to the revamped competition.

New rounds
For the first time the semi-finals and final will be played in one venue over three days and before that there is a new three-round structure. The tournament will begin with the Preliminary round in mid-September which features 16 sides drawn into four mini-tournament groups, including for the first time clubs from Austria, Germany, Malta, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland. The top team from each pool will join 20 others in the Main round, split into six groups of four who will play in October. The top two from each of those groups will join the four top seeds in December's Elite round, with each of the four pools sending one team to the final four provisionally scheduled for 26-28 April.

Elite entry
Holders Boomerang Interviú, runners-up for the last two years MFK Dinamo Moskva and 2004 winners Action 21 Charleroi are assured of their Elite round berths, but any one of three teams could take the remaining place depending on the result of the play-offs for the Spanish and Portuguese championships, which will be completed later this month. Boomerang enter the UEFA Futsal Cup as holders having lost in the Spanish semi-finals to Polaris World Cartagena, who now need to beat El Pozo Murcia FS to earn a debut in the competition.


Provisional access list - 2006/07 UEFA Futsal Cup
Teams in bold confirmed in competition
Preliminary and Main round draws made 6 July
Elite round draw made 31 October


IOC Stage Club
ESP Elite Boomerang Interviú (holders)
RUS Elite MFK Dinamo Moskva
BEL Elite Action 21 Charleroi
ESP* Elite* El Pozo Murcia FS
POR* Elite/Main* SL Benfica
UKR Elite/Main* FC Shakhtar Donetsk
ESP* Main Polaris World Cartagena
KAZ Main Kairat Almaty
POR* Main Sporting Clube de Portugal
BLS Main Dorozhnik Minsk
SCG Main KMF Marbo Beograd
CRO Main MNK Brodosplit Inžinjering Split
GEO Main Iberia 2003 Tbilisi
GRE Main Athina '90 Athens
ITA Main Arzignano Grifo C/5
NED Main FC Marlène
POL Main Clearex Chorzów
LAT Main FC Raba Riga
SVK Main Slov-Matic Fofo Bratislava
AZE Main Araz Naxçivan
MKD Main KMF Alfa Parf Skopje
SLO Main GIP Beton MTO Zagorje
HUN Main Gödöllői Futsal Klub
CZE Main CC LKW Jistebník
BIH Main KMF Partizan Sarajevo
ROU Main CIP Deva
LTU Preliminary FK Nafta Mažeikiai
FIN Preliminary Futsal Mad Max
AND Preliminary Granvalira F.C. Encamp
BUL Preliminary FC Mladost
CYP Preliminary Parnassos Nicosia
MOL Preliminary Toligma Chisinau
ALB Preliminary KF Tirana
ARM Preliminary Adana Yerevan
ENG Preliminary Doncaster College
FRA Preliminary Roubaix Futsal
AUT Preliminary USC Eugendorf
GER Preliminary Uni Futsal Club Münster
MLT Preliminary Hibernians FC
SCO Preliminary tba
SWE Preliminary Skövde AIK
SUI Preliminary Uni Futsal Bulle



*Final Elite round berth to be decided when Spanish and Portuguese seasons end, champions of each nation enter competition
• If Murcia win Spanish play-off with Polaris World Cartagena they enter Elite round and Shakhtar go into Main round with Portuguese champions
• If Cartagena win Spanish play-off they enter Main round; in that case Benfica would enter Elite round by winning Portuguese play-off or if Sporting win they enter Main round and Shakhtar enter Elite round



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com