The draws for the Blind Football World Championships (WC) and the Partially Sighted WC, both included in the 2023 IBSA World Games, will take place this Friday, July 28th, 3pm CEST. It can be followed online at the IBSA YouTube channel.

The event will start with the Women´s Blind Football WC, then with Men´s Blind Football and finally the Partially Sighted competition. All the draws will start with the pot that includes England, the host national team.

Women´s Draw

The eight teams will be divided into pots according to the 2023 IBSA Women´s Football Ranking:

• 1st pot (Winners of regionals) Germany and Japan
• 2nd pot (finalists of regionals) England and India
• 3rd pot (qualified) Morocco and Argentina
• 4th pot (waiting list) Sweden and Austria

For promotion of the sport, England will play the matches at 11.30am CEST (-1 local time), so it will be allocated to Group A n°2. This means that India will be automatically assigned to group B.

There will be two names for one pot inside a transparent bowl, and in another transparent bowl, there will be letters A and B to select a country and a group letter.

Once we have the 2 groups, we will put the 3 names of group A on a bowl and the numbers 1, 3, and 4 (England is 2). We will select a country and a number. In this way, we will allocate one number in the group per team, and automatically show the name of the team on the match schedule.

Then, the same for group B, with four countries and numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8.

After the end of the draw, the schedule will be shown.

Men´s Draw

The 16 teams will be divided in four pots according to the 2023 IBSA Women´s Football Ranking:

• 1st pot: Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Japan
• 2nd pot: Thailand, China, Morocco, France
• 3rd pot: Turkiye, Mexico, Colombia, England
• 4th pot: Iran, Italy, Germany, Mali

For promotion of the sport, England will play the matches at 5.30pm CEST (-1 local time), so it will be allocated to Group B n°5.

Start the draw with the 3^rd pot (it has England).

The names of one pot are put inside a transparent bowl, and in another transparent bowl, letters A and B, so it can be selected a country and a group letter.

Once the four groups are formed, the names of group A are put on a bowl, along with the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. A country and a number will be selected. This way, one number is allocated in the group per team, and the name of the team appears on the match schedule.

The procedure is repeated for group B, but here England already has number 5.

The system is repeated for groups C and D.

At the end of the draw, the schedule will be shown.

Partially Sighted

The seven teams will be divided into two groups. There will be four pots according to the 2023 IBSA Partially Sighted Football Ranking.

• 1st pot: Ukraine and England
• 2nd pot: Türkiye and Italy
• 3rd pot: Spain and Japan
• 4th pot, France

For the promotion of the sport England will play the match at 6.30pm (-1 local time). So, if England is in group A, it will have number 4. If it is in group B, it will have number 5 and France is automatically allocated to group A.