Pre-Paralympic Tournament gives football 7 teams warm up for Rio

Seven of the qualified teams will face off for the last time before September’s Paralympic Games. 29 Apr 2016

Rodrigo Luquez of Argentina and Jose Monteiro Guimaraes of Brazil in the football 7-a-side gold medal game at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

Jose Monteiro Guimaraes of Brazil and Rodrigo Luquez of Argentina in the football 7-a-side gold medal game at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games.

ⒸJon Blacker for the IPC

By Kai Gill and the IPC

The International Federation for Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF) Pre-Paralympic Tournament begins on Saturday (30 April) in Salou, Spain. It will serve as an appetiser for the football 7-a-side competition in September’s Paralympic Games, as seven of the eight qualified teams will be in the Tournament, which runs until 7 May.

It is the last official contest for the national teams ahead of Rio 2016, featuring Brazil, Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, the USA and Ukraine. With reigning world champions Russia absent from the tournament, eyes will be on Ukraine, who finished runner-up at the 2015 World Championships. They lead Group A, which consists of the Netherlands and Argentina.

Worlds bronze medallists and Paralympic hosts Brazil head Group B. Joining them are Ireland, the USA and Great Britain.

All of the teams will arrive and have their final training sessions before the opening ceremony on Saturday. The first match between Ukraine and the Netherlands will follow. On Sunday (1 May), Brazil will take on Ireland, followed by USA against Great Britain. The medal matches will be played on 7 May. All fixtures will take place in the Complex Esportiu Futbol Salou and are free to the public.

The Paralympic draw will be revealed on 6 May.

The competition is organised by the IFCP and Federació Esportiva Catalana de Paralítics Cerebrals (FECPC), with the collaboration of Salou's Town hall.

Visit the IFCP’s website for schedule and results of the Pre-Paralympic Tournament. Also follow the Tournament on the event website and Twitter @CPFootballSalou.