IMG Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, has signed a three-year deal as media rights partners with Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW).

The deal, for 2013-15, will see IMG Media promote the growing sport of beach soccer and distribute High Definition TV and digital broadcasts of over twenty events to the European and Asian markets.

These will include representing BSWW in all FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013 – Qualifying Tournaments, including Europe, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF. Other events IMG will market include the European Beach Soccer League, BSWW Mundialito, Clubs Mundialito and the Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup.

Alex Soriano, Head of Communications & TV, Beach Soccer Worldwide, said: “Beach soccer has a much higher profile than ever before and with audiences and popularity growing, we needed to explore new ways of maximising our TV and media revenues. We are a universal sport and we needed a company who could provide a global platform for us to help promote our sport to new audiences. IMG Media has an excellent track record and offered us the most attractive overall package.”

Enric Rojas, Head of Media Affairs Spain and Portugal, IMG Media, said: “Beach soccer has experienced a rapid growth in a relatively short time, especially since the inception of the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2005. There’s no doubt that the spectacle of skills and tricks has enabled the sport to appeal to a new and broad range of audiences – both football fans and general sports lovers.

“The tournaments take place on some of the most stunning beaches in the world and makes for exciting and very watchable television and we are excited to be working with BSWW in helping them to grow the appeal of the sport even further.”

Beach soccer was born on the Brazilian beaches of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and has been played recreationally all over the world for many years. In 1992 the laws of the game were created and pilot events were staged by the founding partners of BSWW in Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles.

By 1993, the first professional beach soccer competition was organised at Miami Beach, with teams from the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Italy taking part. The sport became part of the FIFA family in 2005. This led to the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which has been hosted in Brazil, France, Dubai and Italy in its six tournaments to date, with a new edition taking place in Tahiti next September.