The North American Sand Soccer Championships (NASSC) originated in 1992 following a suggestion from an
UMBRO USA official to Dick Whalen, a former president of Beach FC, a soccer club in Virginia Beach. At the time, UMBRO had established the U.S. Sand Soccer Federation alongside the development of professional beach soccer tours in
Europe and
South America. It is hosted by the Hampton Roads Soccer Council, a non-profit organization. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex, which supports local soccer development and community initiatives. The tournament plays an essential role in funding the complex and promoting soccer in the
Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Through its success, the NASSC contributes to the growth of soccer at both the recreational, amateur, and competitive levels in the region. By 2015, the tournament featured over 975 teams competing on 65 fields, attracting nearly 20 states and a diverse range of festival amusements. The event drew a direct player, coach, and fan population of approximately 35,000, with boardwalk spectators totaling over 100,000 over the 2.5-day period. A component of NASSC is the U.S. Open, which began in 2001 with an international exhibition between the beach soccer national teams of the
USA and
Canada, along with the inaugural "U.S. National Finals" of top men's Pro-Am teams playing for a national title. In 2003, the U.S. National Finals were transformed into the "U.S. OPEN," serving as the national championship. Over the past two decades, the U.S. Open has welcomed top beach soccer players worldwide. In 2015,
FC Barcelona's men's beach soccer team participated in the U.S. Open, as part of a partnership between NASSC and
Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW),
FIFA's organization for the development of beach soccer, they won the U.S. Open in 2015 and 2017. The women's beach soccer component of the tournament began to grow as well. The first U.S. National Women's Championship was held in 2003 as part of the inaugural U.S. Open, featuring teams from the US and Canada. The women's beach soccer division continued to grow, and in 2018, == U.S. Open results==