Edinburgh pitches in to host Swamp Soccer World Cup in 2011

THERE are more than a few Scottish football pitches which end up resembling a swamp after a long season.

But even the worst offenders in the SPL will not be able to compete with the terrain during Edinburgh's latest international sporting tournament.

Next July, teams from across the globe will lace up their boots for the Capital's first Swamp Soccer World Cup.

More than 600 players from as far afield as Russia and New Zealand, as well as a host of homegrown sides and Europeans are expected to converge for a two-day festival of football at an as yet undecided location.

To create the artificial swamp, organisers excavate swathes of earth with heavy machinery before filling the churned remnants knee-deep with water.

Six players on either team play a 24 minute game in a round robin format followed by knock-outs in the later stages.

Spectators will "never have seen anything like it", said UK Swamp Soccer chief Stewart Miller.

"Players end up caked in muck from head to toe but as it's a natural beauty treatment; it's good for the skin.

"One of the reasons to come to Edinburgh is to attract more international teams to the sport because Edinburgh is an international draw in its own right. About 64 teams took place last year and we expect more than 100 in Edinburgh."

It is understood three locations have been mooted to host the event which will be serviced with a licensed bar, snacks, face-painting and a bouncy castle.

"It will have a party atmosphere," said Mr Miller. "We have people playing in fancy dress and mixed teams with men and women. The great thing is you do not have to be good footballer to play. We have people of all shapes and sizes."

Swamp Soccer originated in Finland in 1997 but Scotland has hosted an annual competition in Argyll since 2006.

Mr Miller added: "Hard graft and a large team are two big requirements for doing well."

The competition, which runs from 2 to 3 July 2011, is preceded for the first time by a school's swamp soccer cup on 1 July.

Supporting this latest attraction in the city's burgeoning summer calendar, Councillor Steve Cardownie, festivals and events champion for the council, said: "Swamp soccer has never been seen in Edinburgh before so we're delighted that the World Cup will be staged here.

"The closest I've ever come to participating in 'swamp soccer' was playing at St Mark's in the bad old days.

"Seriously though, Edinburgh has earned renown all over the world as an ideal location for top-level sporting events and I'm sure the competitors and spectators will enjoy a fantastic weekend here next July."