Switzerland have become the first team to qualify for next year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

The Swiss booked their place at Portugal 2015 by beating Azerbaijan 4-2 to reach the semi-finals of the European qualifiers.

The star of that victory was two-goal Dejan Stankovic, the player of the tournament when his country finished runners-up at the 2009 world finals.

Switzerland missed out on last year’s FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti.