Pararoos head into camp as IFCPF World Cup in April approaches

Australia’s Pararoos will commence a three-day training camp in Sydney today as coach Kai Lammert considers players for selection in Australia’s final squad for this year’s IFCPF World Cup in Salou, Spain.

The IFCPF World Cup in Spain is scheduled to be held between April 27 and May 17 this year, with the draw and match schedule to be confirmed soon.

The Pararoos are Australia’s national men’s football team for athletes with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, or symptoms acquired from stroke.

Over the next three days a total of 21 players hailing from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory will convene in Sydney for the first of three training camps before the squad is finalised for the World Cup.

Unfortunately, due largely to the impacts of COVID-19, the Pararoos have not played a competitive match since late 2019. However, with international travel opening up, the group can look forward to returning to international match action in just two months’ time.

This weekend’s training camp will commence with a training session tonight at Christie Park in the City of Ryde, with the team hitting the training track again tomorrow morning at the same location.

On Sunday morning, the group will play a match against players from NWS Sprit FC’s Association Youth League squad, before returning to their home ports on Sunday afternoon/evening.

Several uncapped players will feature in this weekend’s training camp, with Joshua Beekes, Christian Bitsikas, Taylor Harvey, Luc Launder, Goki Saito, Tomas Scotti and Kaylan Van Heer given the opportunity to impress Lammert, as well as learn from senior Pararoos including Ben Atkins, David Barber, and Ben Roche. 

Australians can help to support the Pararoos by making a tax-deductible donation to the team here. Every donation over $2 made to the squad is tax-deductible and will go directly to supporting national team training camps, coaching, sports science, and tournament costs to ensure that the Pararoos have the best possible chance to represent Australia on the world stage.

Another way to support the Pararoos, while also supporting the Socceroos, is to purchase a ticket to Australia’s forthcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Asian qualifier against Japan at Stadium Australia. $1 from every ticket sold to the Thursday, 24 March meeting between the Socceroos and Japan in Sydney will be donated to the Pararoos. Tickets to Australia vs. Japan are on sale here.

Pararoos Squad | 25 February – 27 February 2022 | Training Camp – Sydney, Australia

Name (City, State)

International Caps (Goals)

Ben ATKINS (Sydney, NSW)

72 (8)

David BARBER (Rockhampton, QLD)

101 (70)

Joshua BEEKES (Bendigo, VIC)

0 (0)

Christian BITSIKAS (Melbourne, VIC)

0 (0)

Timothy BLOWES (Sydney, NSW)

1 (0)

Jeremy BOYCE (Budgewoi, NSW)

1 (0)

Daniel CAMPBELL (Coffs Harbour, NSW)

15 (3)

Cosimo CIRILLO (Melbourne, VIC)

9 (1)

Jared EIBY (Brisbane, QLD)

9 (0)

Taylor HARVEY (Naracoorte, SA)

0 (0)

Luc LAUNDER (Canberra, ACT)

0 (0)

Taj LYNCH (Sydney, NSW)

16 (1)

Connor MARSH (Sydney, NSW)

28 (5)

Augustine MURPHY (Sydney, NSW)

10 (1)

Ben ROCHE (Lennox Head, NSW)

54 (30)

Goki SAITO (Sydney, NSW)

0 (0)

Tomas SCOTTI (Sydney, NSW)

0 (0)

Benjamin SUTTON (Sydney, NSW)

7 (0)

Christian TSANGAS (Melbourne, VIC)

2 (0)

Kaylan VAN HEER (Melbourne, VIC)

0 (0)

Jack WILLIAMS (Sydney, NSW)

38 (1)