Clubs from Lithuania and Latvia discussed the possible expansion of the Baltic Futsal League.

2025-01-28 14:57 © lff.lt

Last weekend, during the final stage of the Baltic Futsal League, representatives of Lithuanian clubs Darius Gurskis (from "Kauno Žalgiris") and Ramūnas Rudžianskas (from Jonava's "Vikingai") participated in a meeting with representatives from Latvian clubs, where the guidelines for the next season of the Baltic Futsal League were discussed.

"The initial meeting took place at the initiative of the Latvians. There are thoughts about expanding the league, so the most important question is choosing the right format. We received a proposal, and we have a month to consider it and provide our response,” said D. Gurskis.

With the Estonians refusing to participate in the tournament, Latvians propose that both Lithuania and Latvia delegate their four strongest teams from this season. If any club refuses to participate, the right to compete would be granted to the clubs that finished in lower positions.

According to the Latvian proposal, the tournament would start at the beginning of October. All eight teams would play in a double round system. When Lithuanian clubs play against each other, the results of those matches would count towards both the Baltic League standings and the "TOPsport futsal A league." The new champion would be determined at the end of February next year.

"The desires are good, of course, we need to move forward, but a motivational aspect is also necessary. First of all, we need to be among the four strongest teams in Lithuania. Then we will consider – we want to find out what the level of the third and fourth teams in Latvia is, figure out what we will gain from the tournament, and so on,” said "Vikingai" leader Ramūnas Rudžianskas.

In the coming month, clubs from Lithuania's futsal A league will meet and discuss their options for participating in the tournament. Later, the proposal will be presented to the Latvian representatives. There will also be discussions regarding attracting potential sponsors, organizing broadcasts, and general tournament communication to increase viewer engagement.

It is worth noting that the 2025/2026 season will be the last before the European Futsal Championship takes place in Lithuania and Latvia in 2026. It is expected that the expansion of the Baltic Futsal League will aid team preparation and strengthen the local futsal level in both countries. The final decision regarding the tournament format and the list of participants should be made by the beginning of spring this year.