Considering the pandemic situation in our country and all over the world, the Lithuanian national football team has not yet decided on the possible risks in the Small Football Championship that was to take place in April, but now those doubts remain.

After evaluating everything, the Socca Federation has decided to move the 2022 World Cup to June. The new championship date is June 10-19.

In addition, the organizers of the 6 vs. 6 World Cup decided to change the location of the tournament itself. Instead of more complex logistics to the island of Cozumel, Cancun in mainland Mexico was chosen.

It is on the island of Cancun that an impressive stadium will be built especially for the small football championship, and we will also see the Lithuanian small football team there.

Lithuanian small football associations have praised the changes received due to the Socca World Cup in Mexico, which really reduces the risk of participation, the press release said.

“We are glad that the Socca federation has realistically assessed the date of the championship now and not only, but also adjusted the location of the championship. Looking at the statistics of the past, the spread of the virus in June is the lowest, so the risk of unexpectedly withdrawing from the championship is significantly higher. Going to Cancun will also cost a little less than going to Cozumel Island. Such decisions made by Socca allow us to say more firmly that spectators will be able to see the Lithuanian national football team in Mexico, ”said Tomas Butkus, the head of the Lithuanian small football team.

The debut of the Lithuanian national football team at the World Championships in Crete in 2019 was excellent. The Lithuanian national team crushed Belgium and Morocco in the group stage and broke Wales after an impressive fight. These three victories allowed the Lithuanian small football team to enter the eight-group stage of the tournament and advance to the eighth final of the tournament, in which the England small football team lost 0: 2.

Such results allowed the Lithuanian small football team to rise to the 20th place in the ranking of the world small football teams. Still, the national team going to Mexico will have changed significantly and is likely to have a strong side.

“The composition of the national team will definitely change from the one we saw in Crete in 2019. We will probably only have one or two representatives from that team in Mexico. We want to have a strong team and its continuity for at least 3 years. There is already a list of players who will reveal Mexico, only the name of which will be revealed later, but that list also contains excellent information for Lithuanian football fans. I can assure you that the composition of the national team will be even stronger and more competitive, and therefore the goals for the national team will be set even higher. We want to be better than we can, and to rise even higher in the national team rankings, ”added the team leader T.But.

Reuters / Scanpix photo / Football referee Gediminas Mažeika

It should be noted that in the resort of Cancun (Mexico) on June 10-19, we will see not only the Lithuanian national football team, but also a representative of our country in the ranks of the referees. Gediminas Mažeika, a former FIFA referee and one of Lithuania’s great referees, has agreed to referee at the Socca Small Football World Cup and will wear his referee’s clothes there again.