Fancy a Futsal Holiday? World Cup Tour 2008

Dates for the Vikings 2008 Futsal World Cup Tour have now been finalized so it’s time to begin our plans and get excited about what lies ahead.

Vikings International Tours are organizing a tour departing October 3rd and returning on October 22nd 2008. The tour will travel to Rio De Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. Beginning in Rio De Janeiro you’ll stay in Teresopolis, where theGrand Camary (Brazil’s National Team Training Centre) is situated. Here you will also train and play games as a player or participate in the EBF International Futsal Coaching Course as a Coach. While in Teresopolis you will also get to see a World Cup group match before witnessing the semi final and final of the 2008 Futsal World Cup. We’ll also take you sightseeing to some of the World’s most famous beaches(Copacaabana and Ipanaema)  and attractions such as Maracana Stadium, Sugar Loaf Mountain & Christ on the Hill.

The other leg of the tour will be spent in Belo Horizonte, which means "beautiful horizon’, and it’s translation won’t disappoint. Here you’ll visit Minas Tenis, an exclusive sporting club and home to the Minas Tenis Professional Futsal Team and Atletico Mineiro Professional Football Club. Both these clubs are in Serie A football or futsal. With training and games for the players and coaching observations and experiences prepared, all tour members and supporters will also be treated to a Serie A Football Game amongst other sightseeing and shopping in the area.

Whether you’re a coach wanting to gain international credentials, a past or current senior or junior Vikings player or Supporter we can cater for you and allow you to experience the Futsal World Cup while also participating in the area of your interest. Please read ahead to see what we have in store especially for you.

As part of the Coaches Tour you will participate in the EBF (Escola Brasileira de Futebol) International Futsal Coaching Course learning from some of the most experienced coaches in Futsal education.

Created in partnership with CBF (Confederation of Brazil Football) and FIFA the courses are designed to offer the unique opportunity of having contact with coaches & managers from some of the biggest professional Futsal teams in Brazil with the objective of learning the unbeatable art and technique of one of the most successful Futsal nations to date.The course takes in practical and theory at Grand Camary, Minas Tenis and doing written appraisals of World Cup games. At the completion of the course you will receive an official certificate from EBF.   

You will also get the chance to visit the coaching facilities and academy of Serie A Football club Atletico Mineiro and Serie A Futsal club Minas Tenis. Both clubs are official affiliates and partners with Vikings.

For seniors it has been 14 years since Vikings first played in the National Futsal league and to celebrate we would like to invite all past and present players to the 2008 World Cup in Brazil. While there we will be organizing a tournament and games against Brazilian teams where you can get a taste of the level of skill, fitness and tactics that make Brazilians so good.

As past Vikings players it will be great chance to catch up with past teammates or to create new ones who have all fought hard to make Vikings the leaders in Futsal in Australasia, while enjoying together the spectacle of the best Futsal nations in the World.  

For juniors this will be an awesome journey allowing players from a young age to experience life as the Brazilian professionals do while facilitating the development of their own Futsal and personal growth at this stage of their lives.

With a mixture of training, games, watching the World Cup and touring for both senior and junior players you’d be crazy to miss out.

Don’t coach or play but have an interest in Futsal and want to see the most prestigious Futsal tournament in the World? Then come along as a supporter where you can accompany a coach or player or independently enjoy the World Cup and other shopping and sightseeing opportunities.

The 2008 Futsal World Cup will be the 6^th Championships held by FIFA. Each four years, 16 of the best Futsal Countries in the world compete after qualifying in their region. For the first time ever the 2008 World Cup will see 20 teams vying for the coveted trophy. Qualifying teams will come from 6 different regions including Asia (AFC – 4 spots), Africa (CAF – 2 spots), America (CONCACAF – 3 spots), America (CONMEBOL – 3 spots), Oceania (OFC – 1 spot), Europe (UEFA – 6 spots) and the host nation.

Australia is part of the AFC, but unfortunately couldn’t come through with enough wins in qualifying leaving the four AFC teams going to the world cup as Iran, Thailand, China and Japan. Vikings hold a special place for China, coached by friend of Vikings, Farighna, and Thailand who have visited us twice in the last three years.

Other qualifiers:

Africa (CAF) – Egypt, Libya 

Europe (UEFA) – Portugal, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Italy, Czech Republic

America (CONCACAF) – Qualifiers 2^nd to 8^th June: Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, USA, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago & Haiti

America (CONMEBOL) – Qualifiers 23^rd to 28^th June: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay & Venezuela

Oceania (OFC) – Qualifiers 8^th to 14^th June: New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tuvalu & Vanuatu

Host Nation: Brazil qualifies automatically

The final draw will be announced July 10^th.

Major contenders for the top prize according to history and current form would probably come from the powerhouse Futsal nations of Brazil, Spain, Italy & Portugal.

The games for the tournament will be played in two different locations Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia and Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro. Vikings will be taking you to the Rio de Janeiro round games and grand final to enjoy all the hype that surrounds the Brazil World Cup in the perfect place for it, renowned for it’s carnival atmosphere, friendly locals and numerous attractions including the famous Copacabana and Ipanema Beach.

We may also have a chance, through contacts made by our Brazil host Mauricio, to watch the Brazil team train and meet the players. This can be said of China also, through our Vikings China representative Li Jing who is appointed National Assistant Coach & Thailand, who has frequently visited us over the past few years, with coach and Vikings friend Adisat.