Iran lost to Italy in the first day of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Ravenna/Italy 2011 on Thursday. 

Two teams ended 6-6 in the regular time but host Italy beat Iran 5-4 in a penalty shootout. 

Italy, whose best finish at a Beach Soccer World Cup came at Marseille 2008 where they finished runner-up, will play Senegal on Saturday in Group A in a top-of-table clash and the Iranian team take on Switzerland.  

Altogether 16 teams divided into four groups composed of four teams. The winners and runners-up in each group will qualify for the knockout stages, with all games played on the beautiful beach of Ravenna.