1998 Beach Soccer World Championships
The 1998 Beach Soccer World Championships was the fourth edition of the Beach Soccer World Championships, the most prestigious competition in international beach soccer contested by men's national teams until 2005, when the competition was then replaced by the second iteration of a world cup in beach soccer, the better known FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. It was organised by Brazilian sports agency Koch Tavares (one of the founding partners of Beach Soccer Worldwide).
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Brazil |
| Dates | January 18–25 |
| Teams | 10 (from 3 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | 1 (in 1 host city) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Brazil (4th title) |
| Runners-up | France |
| Third place | Uruguay |
| Fourth place | Peru |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 24 |
| Goals scored | 216 (9 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Júnior (14 goals) |
| Best player(s) | Júnior |
| Best goalkeeper | Paulo Sérgio |
The tournament continued to take place at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For the first time, the number of teams competing was raised, from eight to ten. This change saw the longest group stage until the world cup became a 16-team event in 2006.
Brazil, the three-time defending champions, successfully defended their title again to win their fourth World Championship by beating France 9–2 in the final. This was the first time a European nation appeared in the final of the World Championship.