Paris 2024 goalball draw to take place on 3 June

The International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Goalball has announced that the draw for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place on 3 June in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy.

Eight men’s and women’s teams will be entered for the draw, from all corners of the globe, and it will be shown live on IBSA Goalball’s website.

In the men’s draw, defending Paralympic champions Brazil and World Championships silver medallists China, European champions Ukraine, Americas title holders the USA, African champions Egypt, Asia-Pacific champions the Islamic Republic of Iran, hosts France and IBSA World Games champions Japan will all go into the pot.

In the women’s, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallists Turkiye, Worlds silver medallists Republic of Korea, respective Asia-Pacific, Americas and European champions Japan, Canada and Israel will be drawn alongside France and IBSA World Games top two China and Brazil.

They will be put into pots to be drawn into two pools – A and B. Those teams that have qualified via regional Championships will be drawn in one section, followed by France and the IBSA World Games medallists in another.

As the world champions, in the men’s Brazil will automatically be placed into the first slot in Pool A and China as the Worlds silver medallists into the first slot in Pool B. In the women’s, as world champions, Turkiye will take the first place in Pool A and the Republic of Korea in Pool B.

For all other teams, the order in which they are drawn will determine their place in each pool.

The Paris 2024 Goalball Draw will take place during the 2024 IBSA Goalball European Championships B in Lignano Sabbiadoro at 3pm CET on 3 June.

IBSA Goalball Chairperson and Paris 2024 Technical Delegate Aurora Zanolin and Assistant Technical Delegate Alexey Baryaev will be present from the sport’s side. They will be joined by President of the Local Organising Committee of the Euros B, Sandro Di Girolamo. Paris 2024’s Executive Sport’s Director, Aurelie Merle, will deliver a video message.

Zanolin said: “We are into double figures now for the countdown for the biggest goalball competition of them all – the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

“Sixteen men’s and women’s teams are working very hard putting the finishing touches to their training and preparations. Soon they will find out who they will play in the pools for a chance to progress to the knock-out stages.

“It is incredibly exciting for everyone in the sport, and we want to spread that excitement far and wide. I encourage everyone to tune in to get a taste of the anticipation that surrounds Paris 2024. If they can make it to the Paralympics in person, goalball tickets are still available.”

Goalball at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will take place at the South Paris Arena, within Paris Expo, from 29 August – 5 September. Group stages are scheduled for 29 August – 1 September, followed by the knock-out stages from 2-4 September. The competition will reach its climax with the men’s and women’s medal matches on 5 September.