The Organising Committee of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Blind Football will stage the draw for this summer’s Paralympics in Tokyo on Monday (14 June).

Hosts Japan, defending champions Brazil, Argentina, France, Thailand, China, Morocco and Spain will go into the pot to decide the groups who will go for gold from 29 August – 4 September.

Fans can watch the draw live by clicking here. The draw starts at 16:00 JST at Harumi Island Triton Square Tower Y.

Chair of the IBSA Blind Football Committee, Ulrich Pfisterer, will open the event that will be MC’d by Olympic swimmer Ito Hanae from the Organising Committee.

Japan Inclusive Football Federation President Kitawaza Tsuyoshi and Tokyo 2020 Sports Director Mikako Kotani will then pick the teams that will go into two groups.

Pfisterer and Kotani will close the draw with some final remarks.

The Japanese and Argentinian teams are on a high after making it into the final of the IBSA Blind Football World Grand Prix last week in Shinagawa. Argentina took the win at the sport’s first competition since late 2019, which featured five of the qualified teams for the Paralympics.

Brazil will go for their fifth consecutive Paralympic title in Tokyo, having won gold at all previous editions. They are also the reigning world champions.

France and Spain – two legends of blind football – are in the hunt for their first trophy with silver and bronze medals already under their belts.

China and Morocco are the respective Asian and African champions.