Ningbo team claims bronze at World Winners Cup Sicily 2025

Players at the match. [Photo/Zhejiang Ningbo TMS Football Club]

Zhejiang Ningbo TMS Football Club from Ningbo, Zhejiang province secured third place on Sept 21 at the World Winners Cup Sicily 2025 in Catania, Italy, defeating France's Marseille BT 12-4 in a commanding performance.

It marked TMS's second consecutive bronze finish at the world's top beach soccer club competition, which features national league champions from across the globe. Their 2024 debut had already set a new benchmark for Zhejiang football.

Known as a dominant force in Chinese beach soccer, TMS has built a winning legacy — from their 2019 national title in Inner Mongolia autonomous region to gold at the 2021 National Games representing Zhejiang province, coupled with victories in the 2024 CFA Beach Soccer Tour finals and the Putuo Mountain Cup.

In this year's tournament, TMS swept the group stage with wins over Italy's Naxos BS (11-4), Venezuela's Guaicamacuto (5-3) and France's Marseille BT (5-3).

They continued their momentum in the knockouts, beating France's BTCM (7-2) and Guaicamacuto again (6-2), before narrowly falling to host BS in the semifinals (3-4).

Jiang Tianhong, team leader, expressed confidence in the club's future, noting that the points earned could keep TMS atop Asia and push them into the global top 10.

The club was also invited to join the Beach Soccer Worldwide — an important step for both TMS and Chinese beach soccer.

Team members pose for a group photo at the World Winners Cup Sicily 2025. [Photo/Zhejiang Ningbo TMS Football Club]