U.S. Futsal National Team head Coach Keith Tozer has named a squad of 14 players for the upcoming FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. has been drawn into Group B of the tournament, and kicks off its campaign on Sept. 30 against Paraguay. The U.S. also faces Italy on Oct. 2 and Thailand on Oct. 4, before rounding out group play on Oct. 6 against Portugal.

CHICAGO (Sept. 16, 2008) - U.S. Futsal National Team head Coach Keith Tozer has named a squad of 14 players for the upcoming FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. has been drawn into Group B of the tournament, and kicks off its campaign on Sept. 30 against Paraguay. The U.S. also faces Italy on Oct. 2 and Thailand on Oct. 4, before rounding out group play on Oct. 6 against Portugal.

Of the 14 players named to the FIFA World Cup squad, 11 took part in June's CONCACAF Futsal Championship, where the U.S. finished third. The team will travel to Brazil on Sept. 24, stationing itself in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the tournament's opening. The U.S. will train in the city and play a friendly with current World champions Spain on Sept. 28.

"I'm excited about the team that we're taking to Brazil," said Tozer. "We are a young team, not only in age but in experience. However, at the same time we are a talented team that can only get better the deeper we go."

With the appearance in Brazil, the U.S will have taken part in five of the six FIFA Futsal World Cups. After missing out on the event in 2000, the U.S. returned to the world stage in 2004, finishing seventh in Chinese Taipei. At the first two World Championship events in 1989 and 1992, the U.S. finished third and second, respectively. The 1989 team achieved the first top three finish at any FIFA event for men or women since the 1930 men's World Cup team. The 1992 team, which lost in the final to Brazil by a 4-1 margin, posted the best finish of any U.S. Soccer men's team at a FIFA competition.

Two players on the squad have prior Futsal World Cup experience, with forward Jamar Beasley and defender Pat Morris having played in the 2004 tournament in Chinese Taipei. Beasley, a rookie with the team, concluded the tournament with two goals and two assists, while Morris also a contributed a goal in the USA’s seventh place finish in Asia.

Midfielder Matthew Stewart lead the U.S. with five goals in the CONCACAF Championship, while goalkeepers Jeff Richey and Nick Vorberg split time in the net during the tournament. Midfielder Denison Cabral, himself a native Brazilian, captained the side throughout the tournament and he will reprise the role for the team in the World Cup.

The U.S. has traveled to Brazil multiple times in the past year, conducting training camps and playing friendlies against local club sides. Futsal, which has a well established professional league, is a hugely popular game in Brazil, and the USA’s most recent trip to the country concluded earlier this month.

"I think this past month has been extremely important for the preparation and development of the team representing our country in Brazil,” said Tozer. “Every match and practice we get better in all aspects of the game. The 2004 championship [in Chinese Taipei] was great, but now we are going to a country where futsal is huge. It is exciting for all of us and we know that the interest from the public in Brazil is going to make this an enjoyable and memorable tournament.”

Of the 14 players on the roster, 12 play for teams that were part of the Major Indoor Soccer League before it dissolved in May. The newly created National Indoor Soccer League acquired four teams, including Baltimore, Monterrey (Mexico), Philadelphia and Orlando. A number of other former MISL teams (New Jersey, Milwaukee, Detroit and Chicago) have moved to the new Xtreme Soccer League, while Stockton (formerly California) is in the new Professional Arena Soccer League.

The Philadelphia KiXX, Chicago Storm and Milwaukee Wave each have three representatives on the World Cup team, while the Detroit Ignition sends two players to Brazil. Cabral, who was MVP of the 2008 MISL Championship Match, is the sole representative from the MISL Champion Baltimore Blast.

Andrew Jacobson, who went to the University of California and was drafted by D.C. United in 2008, plays in France for FC Lorient in Ligue 1. Chile Farias is currently out of contract.

U.S. Futsal National Team
FIFA Futsal World Cup
Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sept. 30-Oct. 19, 2008

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Birthdate	Hometown	Club
Apple, Mike	F	6'1	190	06/22/77	Akron, Ohio	Detroit Ignition (XSL)
Beasley, Jamar	F	5'10	165	10/11/79	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Detroit Ignition (XSL)
Cabral, Denison	M	5'4	160	01/26/74	Baltimore, Md.	Baltimore Blast (NISL)
Farias, Chile	F	5'6	155	05/1576	Los Angeles, Calif.	--
Hammes, Joe	D	6'1	180	05/09/79	Cedarburg, Wis.	Milwaukee Wave (XSL)
Jacobsen, Andrew	M	6'2	185	09/25/85	Palo Alto, Calif.	FC Lorient (Ligue 1)
Morris, Pat	D	5'9	195	06/06/77	Philadelphia, Pa.	Philadelphia KiXX (NISL)
Myers, Ptah	M	5'10	175	05/25/82	Columbus, Ohio	Philadelphia KiXX (NISL)
Naumoski, Sandre	M	5'8	160	07/03/79	Philadelphia, Pa.	Philadelphia KiXX (NISL)
Richey, Jeff	GK	6'0	180	02/06/78	Fort Wayne, Ind.	Chicago Storm (XSL)
Rosenband, Andy	M	5'7	150	04/27/81	Hammond, Ind.	Chicago Storm (XSL)
Stewart, Matthew	M	5'8	145	09/17/76	El Paso, Texas	Chicago Storm (XSL)
Vorberg, Nick	GK	6'0	185	02/10/75	Grants Pass, Ore.	Milwaukee Wave (XSL)
Wiesner, Brett	F	5'11	165	05/12/83	Brookfield, Wis.	Milwaukee Wave (XSL)

U.S. Futsal National Team Roster By Position
Goalkeepers (2): Jeff Richey (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Nick Vorberg (Grants Pass, Ore.);
Defenders (2): Joe Hammes (Cedarburg, Wis.), Pat Morris (Philadelphia, Pa.);
Midfielders (6): Denison Cabral (Florianopolis, Brazil), Andrew Jacobsen (Palo Alto, Calif.), Ptah Myers (Columbus, Ohio), Sandre Naumoski (Philadelphia, Pa.), Andy Rosenband (Hammond, Ind.), Matthew Stewart (El Paso, Texas);
Forwards (4): Mike Apple (Akron, Ohio), Jamar Beasley (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Chile Farias (Los Angeles, Calif.), Brett Wiesner (Brookfield, Wis.).

2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup Schedule
First Round

Group A
Brazil
Russia
Japan
Cuba
Solomon Islands

Date	Matchup	City	Time (ET)
Sept. 30	Brazil vs. Japan	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Cuba vs. Solomon Islands	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 2	Solomon Islands vs. Brazil	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Russia vs. Cuba	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 4	Brazil vs. Russia	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Japan vs. Solomon Islands	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 6	Japan vs. Cuba	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Russia vs. Solomon Islands	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 8	Brazil vs. Cuba	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Russia vs. Japan	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.

Group B
Italy
Portugal
Thailand
Paraguay
USA

Date	Matchup	City	Time (ET)
Sept. 30	Italy vs. Thailand	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Paraguay vs. USA	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 2	Portugal vs. Paraguay	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	USA vs. Italy	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 4	Thailand vs. USA	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Italy vs. Portgual	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 6	Portugal vs. USA	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Thailand vs. Paraguay	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 8	Italy vs. Paraguay	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
	Portugal vs. Thailand	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.

Group C
Argentina
Ukraine
Japan
China PR
Guatemala
Egypt

Date	Matchup	City	Time (ET)
Oct. 1	Guatemala vs. Egypt	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Argentina vs. China PR	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 3	Egypt vs. Argentina	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Ukraine vs. Guatemala	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 5	China PR vs. Egypt	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Argentina vs. Ukraine	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 7	China PR vs. Guatemala	Brasilia	9:30 a.m.
	Ukraine vs. Egypt	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 9	Argentina vs. Guatemala	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.
	Ukraine vs. China PR	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.

Group D
Spain
Czech Republic
Iran
Uruguay
Libya

Date	Matchup	City	Time (ET)
Oct. 1	Spain vs. Iran	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Uruguay vs. Libya	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 3	Libya vs. Spain	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Czech Republic vs. Uruguay	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 5	Spain vs. Czech Republic	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Iran vs. Libya	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 7	Czech Republic vs. Libya	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Iran vs. Uruguay	Rio de Janeiro	11:30 a.m.
Oct. 9	Spain vs. Uruguay	Rio de Janeiro	9:30 a.m.
	Czech Republic vs. Iran	Brasilia	11:30 a.m.

Second Round
The top two teams in each group advance to the second round, where they are split in to Groups E and F. Each team plays each other once, and the top two teams advance to the semifinals. The games in the second round will be played from Oct. 11 to 14 in Rio de Janerio and Brasilia.

Group E	Group F
E1 - 1st A	F1 - 1st B
E2 - 1st C	F2 - 1st D
E3 - 2nd D	F3 - 2nd C
E4 - 2nd B	F4 - 2nd A

Semifinals – Rio de Janeiro

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)
Oct. 16	Runner-up Group F vs. Winner Group E	9:30 a.m.
	Winner Group F vs. Runner-up Group E	11:30 a.m.

Match for Third Place – Rio de Janeiro

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)
Oct. 18	Third Place Match	9:30 a.m.

Final – Rio de Janeiro

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)
Oct. 19	Final	11:30 a.m.

*All matches played in Brasilia take place at The Jornalista Nilson Nelson Sports Hall while all matches in Rio de Janeiro take place at The Maracanãzinho

U.S. Futsal National Team Staff

Head Coach: Keith Tozer	(Milwaukee)
Assistant Coach: Vilmar "VAVA" Marques	(Mountain View, Calif.)
Goalkeeper Coach: Mark Litton	(Milwaukee)
Team Coordinator: Bryan Koch	(Milwaukee)
Team Doctor: Dr. Robert Lim	(Chicago)
Team Doctor: Dr. Nicholas Romansky	(Philadelphia)
Athletic Trainer: Tony Rill	(Chicago)
Equipment Coordinator: Marthell Vazquez	(Los Angeles)
Press Officer: Mark Liskevych	(Chicago)