Beach soccer is played five-a-side (five players on each team) on a smaller pitch marked out on the sand. The sandy surface makes running harder and the ball bounces differently than on grass, which means players develop extraordinary ball control and acrobatic skills. Bicycle kicks, overhead volleys and spectacular long-range shots are much more common in beach soccer than in the regular game.
Along Sierra Leone's beaches — from Lumley Beach in Freetown to Tokeh and River Number Two — it is common to see informal beach soccer games happening at any time of day. The beaches provide the perfect natural surface: flat, open sand right next to the ocean. Games attract spectators who sit on the sand or stand at the edge of the improvised pitch.
Sierra Leone has produced talented beach soccer players who have gone on to compete internationally. The country's beach soccer team has participated in African Beach Soccer Union competitions, representing Sierra Leone on a continental stage. For many young Sierra Leoneans, beach soccer is the first version of football they ever play — kicking a ball in the sand with friends and family.