Matteo Valenti Memorial (Beach Soccer)

The ultimate tournament of Viareggio beach soccer

The Matteo Valenti Memorial is the most anticipated beach soccer event of the summer in Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. For an entire week, the sand of Marina di Ponente transforms into a grand sporting stage where over 500 young athletes vie for the title across various beach soccer categories. Considered by many to be the "tournament of tournaments," the Memorial combines competitive play, a festive atmosphere, and a deep emotional significance for the entire Viareggio community.

A story born from a memory

The event is dedicated to Matteo Valenti, a young man from Viareggio who passed away at just 23 years old on November 12, 2004, in a workplace accident. From the desire to keep his memory alive, the "Matteo Valenti" Beach Stadium was born in the summer of 2006, along with the city's entire beach soccer movement. As the organizers recall, "the entire beach soccer movement in Viareggio was born in memory of Matteo." The Valenti family remains a vital part of the event: his parents, Gloria and Lirio, and his brother Giacomo, a former player for Viareggio Beach Soccer and the Italian National team, are always present at the presentations and match days.

Categories and format

The Memorial is divided into four categories that involve all age groups of the youth sector and beyond:

• Open — the premier category, open to athletes aged 16 and up
• Under 18
• Under 16
• Under 14

Matches are played in two halves and, according to official regulations, include penalty shootouts to resolve draws in the group stage and extra time with the "golden goal" rule starting from the semi-finals. Each team must submit their roster by the deadlines set by the organization, with a maximum number of players established by the regulations available on the Viareggio Beach Soccer website.

A week of sport and community

Match days animate the Bagno Flora beach, in Piazzale Caboto, from morning until evening, with a crescendo of excitement that culminates in the finals at the Beach Stadium. A summer festival atmosphere is created around the pitch, with large crowds, families, and beach soccer enthusiasts. The organization, managed by Viareggio Beach Soccer with the support of the Municipality of Viareggio, accompanies each edition with side initiatives: an official jersey designed by a local artist and a song chosen as the event's soundtrack, highlighting the spirit of memory and rebirth that characterizes the Memorial.

Beach soccer in Viareggio

Viareggio has become one of the Italian capitals of beach soccer: the Bagno Flora Beach Stadium remains installed on the beach for several months, and the city has been chosen as the venue for major international events in the discipline. In this context, the Matteo Valenti Memorial represents the defining event, one that attracts hundreds of young players from all over Italy every summer and tells, match after match, a story of sport, friendship, and remembrance.