Northern Ireland men’s and women’s teams will get their respective Homeless World Cup 2024 campaigns under way tomorrow morning.
The men’s team have been drawn in Group C for the group stage fixtures in the men’s competition, while the women’s team are in Group B.
Team NI’s two teams are among more than 50 taking part in the week-long event, which is being staged at Seoul’s Hanyang University in South Korea.
The other teams in the women’s group – it is one of two eight-team groups - are Austria, Denmark, Egypt, France, Republic of Ireland, Mexico and Norway.
Northern Ireland's first game in Group B, which is taking place at 06:15 BST, is against the Egyptians.
The top four teams in both groups will compete for the main Homeless World Cup women’s trophy, while the remaining teams will play games to determine overall placings.
The men’s team’s first game in their competition is against Austria (06:20 BST). The other teams in Group C - it is one of four nine-team groups - are Argentina, Hong Kong, Greece, Denmark, Hungary, Indonesia and Norway.
The top two teams in each of the four groups will compete for the main Homeless World Cup men’s trophy, while the remaining teams will play games to determine overall placings.
Street Soccer NI, a charity working with the homeless and disadvantaged groups across Northern Ireland, has put the Northern Ireland teams together. The teams are being supported this year by Simon Community NI, Choice Housing and others.
The Irish FA Foundation also provides support to the Northern Ireland teams, who will be playing 12 four-a-side matches across the group stages and placing matches (games last 14 minutes).
This year’s Homeless World Cup is the first one to be held in Asia since the annual event was established in 2003.
The Team NI men’s squad for the Homeless World Cup features: Reza Khalji (GK), Eoghan Gillespie, Alaaeddine Dhouioui, Tristan McFarland, Colin Sharpe, William Martin, Timotei Fechete, Farzad Niazi.
The Team NI women’s squad features: Faith Lewis-Pelage (GK), Louise McGonnell, Sorcha McAleenan, Joanne Patterson, Megan Neill, Caitriona Allen, Yasmine Douglas, Maryam Najafi.
And the Team NI coaches are: Terry Moore, Alan Nixon, Adrian Curry, Sarah Ferguson, Justin McMinn, Jack Hall.
Image: FIFA is supporting this year’s Homeless World Cup. The founder of the Homeless World Cup, Mel Young, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FIFA and Homeless World Cup Foundation at FIFA's Paris office last month.
