The Peninsula
A total of 57 teams from 34 nations have qualified and started arriving in Doha for the action-packed five-a-side football tournament in front of an on looking Neymar Jr who will face the two World Champions in the mixed and women category.
“This tournament is so special,” said Neymar. “The format is really unique; the players are super skilful and I can’t wait to see them all in action next week.
It’s the first Red Bull Neymar Jr´s Five World Final in three years and everyone is hyped.”
Five-a-side footballers from across the globe are preparing to battle it out at the World Final, with Qatar set to host the showpiece event for the first time on May 23 and 24.
Qatar Foundation’s Education City will set the stage for this year’s special World Finals. Inspired by Urban Architecture, the state-of-the-art Ceremonial Court will be transformed into multiple five-a-side courts fit for champions.
Bringing together teams that progressed through their local qualifiers to become national champions in 2021 and 2022, this year’s edition is set to be the biggest one yet. More than 50 teams from 34 nations will bid to outplay them all in the mixed and women’s categories, and for the first time ever there’s the potential for ‘derby’ matches, where two teams from the same country could go head-to-head against each other. There are no goalkeepers, and every time a team scores, the opposition lose a player. Matches last for 10 minutes, or until one team loses all five players.
Representing Qatar will be 2021’s and 2022’s National Champions. The four teams will be taking on the World’s National Champions on their home turf in the group stages today.
Joining the national champions will be a trio of Jr’s Global Five teams from the last three years, each consisting of seven players who earned their ticket to the World Final by impressing Neymar Jr with their tricks and skills on social media.
The action gets underway with the group stage today, followed by the knockout rounds tomorrow, where Neymar Jr himself will be on hand to personally crown two new mixed and women’s champions. The Brazilian forward will then invite the winning teams back onto the pitch to each play a ‘Super Final’ against him and his friends.