The start of 2025 was marked by renewed enthusiasm and a long-anticipated return to thoughtful expansion. After years of recalibration following COVID, when the organization deliberately scaled back from 11 pre-pandemic events to prioritize family, sustainability, and quality over unchecked growth, 2025 opened with optimism. We intentionally paused several developing events—not abandoned them—with the plan to relaunch when the right infrastructure, partnerships, and timing align to do them properly.
Santa Cruz Breaks 200 teams in 2026
The standout success of the year was the 21st Annual Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Open Classic, which sold out for the second consecutive year and reached a milestone never before possible. Thanks to favorable river conditions and proactive work by the City of Santa Cruz to improve directional flow on the beach, the usable footprint expanded significantly. For the first time in the event’s history, over 200 teams were accepted and accommodated. Even more telling was the demand beyond capacity: more than 50 additional teams sat on the waiting list, pushing total applications well beyond 260. These numbers would have been unimaginable just a few years earlier.
Momentum carried into what initially looked like a record-breaking summer for San Francisco. As registrations surged toward a first-ever 100-team milestone, a late-announced major concert in Golden Gate Park required us to move the 19th Annual San Francisco Beach Soccer Classic two weeks later in August. In hindsight, the date change proved unnecessary. As longtime participants know, tournament activity winds down by mid-afternoon. This is well before concert traffic arrives and the event frees parking instead of competing for it.
Unfortunately, the forced move resulted in the loss of 56 of the 65 teams already registered, including teams traveling from Washington, Oregon, Southern California, and Nevada, many of whom lost flights or could not rearrange plans. As an organization it was a nightmare over space for portable toilets. While the event ultimately landed near historical averages, the opportunity cost was significant.
2026 Lessons Learned & Hard Decisions
Elsewhere, 2025 also brought difficult but necessary decisions. We postponed the planned first-year event after sudden 300% tariffs dramatically inflated startup infrastructure costs. It made a responsible launch impossible. That pause has since evolved into a promising 2026 partnership with Florida’s Sports Coast in Pasco County. We are positioning the organization to bring beach soccer to Florida’s west coast under far stronger conditions. We will announce the date in the first weeks of February once we finalize the remaining details.
In Texas, ongoing challenges with permitting and security requirements led to a difficult decision. We moved away from South Padre Island after years of increased growth that began to decline. This happened when we moved to county rather than city prosperities. Escalating demands, last-minute changes, delayed approvals, and requests for large cash payments created an untenable environment. A late pivot to Corpus Christi proved too rushed to execute properly, resulting in cancellation—but also clarity. In 2026, we relaunch the event with an eight-month runway, rebuilt partnerships, and the time required to clearly define its meaning to the community.
Taken together, 2025 was a year of both validation and hard lessons. Demand has never been stronger, but external variables—from environmental conditions to municipal decisions—remain unpredictable. Register early for 2026 to guarantee your place. Capacity will always be finite, and interest continues to outpace availability. We are building a bright future through deliberate, responsible action and long-term thinking.
Registration is currently open for Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Florida Sports Coast and Corpus Christi open shortly, so keep an eye out. We are excited to continue to bring the only 100% FIFA Beach Rules event in the country. Our goal is to continue to look to build our relationships and give you the best service/experiences possible. We continue to lead whether throughout technological advancements or our care for you as our customers and fans.
