Swamp soccer: footballers battle it out in mud for World Cup

Dozens of footballers have taken part in the Russian Swamp football cup near Saint Petersburg to earn a place in the Swamp Soccer World Cup. The contest, which was officially started in 1998, was inspired by Finland's top cross-country skiers using natural swamps to train during the summer. Teams consist of a goalkeeper and five field players, with no limits on squad sizes or substitutions during the game. They compete over two 12-minute halves, with no offside rule - and corner kicks, penalties and throw-ins are taken by drop kick. Nearly 200 teams, with more than 2,000 players, both male and female, are expected to take part in the tournament in Hyrynsalmi next month.

Video: www.theguardian.com/sport/video/2019/jun/24/swamp-soccer-footballers-battle-it-out-in-mud-for-world-cup-spot-video