AN international beach football tournament has been scrapped because it would have clashed with this summer's European Championships.

Former Manchester United legend Eric Cantona and ex-England, Spurs and Liverpool defender John Scales played in last June's Pro Beach Soccer Kronenbourg Cup in Brighton.

But organisers and sponsors feared football fans would be too distracted by following David Beckham, Michael Owen and the senior England side in Portugal this summer.

Kronenbourg, which has sponsored the three-day Brighton tournament for the past two years, decided not to back it again.

Organisers Octagon chose to call off this summer's event, which would have clashed with the quarter-finals of Euro 2004.

Dan Kiddle, of Octagon, said: "We're obviously disappointed but there is a lot of football this summer with Euro 2004.

"Kronenbourg's two-year sponsorship came to an end and it would have been very difficult to get another sponsor because so much football will be getting coverage in June.

"We really enjoyed our time in Brighton and we're looking to come back next year and make the event a real success again."

Sky Sports offered nine hours of live coverage and 13 hours of delayed coverage of the previous years' tournaments and offered to screen the action this summer too.

Mr Kiddle said: "Sky have been very supportive for the last two years and offered us dates in June again this year, but they would still have clashed with Euro 2004."

Kronenbourg spokeswoman Jane Taylor said: "The sponsorship had run its course and Kronenbourg wanted to invest in other areas."

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "We're hoping it returns to the UK and, if it does, we're sure it will return to Brighton."

Organisers of the European beach football circuit said the city was a great venue.

The Kronenbourg Cup was the UK leg of the European Pro Beach Soccer League, which is played throughout the summer.

The 2003 UK tournament was played on sand off Madeira Drive in Brighton on the final weekend of last June.

A 3,000-seat stadium was purpose-built and more than 400 tonnes of sand brought in from Chichester in 23 lorries.

Cantona disappointed spectators by missing the first day of last year's tournament after failing to catch his scheduled flight from Marseille.

When he finally arrived he inspired his French side to victory over England, who had Scales as their player-manager.

But he was unable to prevent Portugal winning the contest after beating the French 5-2.

England finished bottom of the four-team league after losing 6-4 to Portugal, 7-5 to Italy and 7-5 to France.

The tournament also hosted a game between an under-19s team from Brighton and Hove Albion and a side from the Isle of Wight.

The young Seagulls lost 3-1.