Lebanon, The Netherlands Confirm for 2017 COPA Lagos

Kinetic Sports, organisers of the annual Copa Lagos have confirmed that Lebanon and The Netherlands are two foreign teams to feature in the sixth edition of the beach soccer tournament scheduled to hold between December 8 and 10, 2017 at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.

Nigeria’s beach soccer team, the Super Sand Eagles and the National Beach Soccer are also listed to participate in the football fiesta that will also feature a combination of sports, music, fashion and celebrity entertainment. The organisers promised to unveil the fourth team at a later date.

Speaking at a media briefing to herald the sixth edition of Copa Lagos, Managing Director of Kinetic Sports, Samson Adamu, revealed that the football and music fiesta was back to its traditional three-day affair. The last edition was compressed to accommodate the African Beach Soccer Nations Cup which Lagos hosted.

“This year’s edition is back to its normal three days of soccer, fashion, music, business and networking opportunities and fun.

“Furthermore, the plan is to make Copa Lagos more than just a beach soccer event but to be a major spectacle that will put Nigeria on the global tourism space and promote a beach culture and lifestyle in Lagos more so as we plan ahead with the hope of staging the best ever beach soccer World Cup in the nearest future,” stressed the Kinetic Sports chief executive.

The Copa Lagos organisers also revealed that there will be the Club Challenge that will consist of Pepsi Football Academy with the introduction of a Lagos selected beach soccer side.

Also, there will be a variety of celebrity matches between ex-internationals and popular Nigerian celebrities.
As a prelude to this year’s Copa Lagos, other interesting events lined up to add colour include; “Clean the Beach”, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the tournament that involves beach football players, staff, sponsors, celebrities and volunteers helping to clean the beach to encourage healthy clean habits and conserving marine life.

A Beach Soccer Kids Clinic, a training and mentorship programme for kids aged between 8 and 14 years in Lagos aimed at promoting and showcasing beach soccer for the younger generation will be organised. The exercise is in partnership with the Lagos State Sports Commission who will bring the kids from various schools in the coastal areas of Lagos
State.

Sponsors of beach soccer fiesta include, FCMB, who has been Copa Lagos lead Sponsor since inception; Pepsi, the official beverage drink company for Copa Lagos; Hero, the official Beer for the event; and Wakanow who joined up as the official Travel Agency for Copa Lagos.

Switzerland won the 2016 Copa Lagos after defeating the Super Sand Eagles 8-3 in the final.