A total of 11 member associations of FIFA (France, Mauritius, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates) have officially expressed their interest in hosting either the 2008 or the 2009 edition of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

It is the first time that a bidding process is held to determine the venue of this spectacular competition. Rio de Janeiro staged the event in 2005 and 2006 , and will once more be the host in 2007, since the FIFA Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee decided to rely on the experience of the Brazilians in organising beach soccer tournaments for the first three editions of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

The tremendous success of the two championships celebrated thus far has certainly spurred the interest in this relatively young sport, as the great number of candidacies presented for the 2008 and 2009 editions clearly show.

Key dates in the bidding process
15 February 2007 - Organising Association Agreement (OAA) sent by FIFA to the member associations that have officially declared their interest in hosting the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup either in 2008 or in 2009

6 April 2007 - Deadline for the member associations to formally confirm their candidature by submitting the signed Bidding Agreement form

13 July 2007 - Deadline for submission of the signed Hosting Agreement and all the relevant bid documentation

28 August 2007 - FIFA Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee issues a recommendation on which associations should be awarded the 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup

31 August 2007 - FIFA Executive Committee makes a final decision regarding the host of the 2008 and the 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup