The 48-team competition, which uses sport to enable homeless and marginalised people to improve their health and self esteem and kick drug and alcohol habits, has been divided into eight groups comprising of six teams each. 

Australia's first match sees them face Canada.

Each team will play the other teams once, with teams re-divided for the secondary stage based on the results of the preliminary stage.

Defending champions, Afghanistan, aren't present to defend their crown, but runners up Russia are in Group D. 2007 champions Scotland, who finished fourth in 2008, are in Group E.

Host nation Italy has drawn a strong group, with Ghana and Mexico certain to test them. 

The Italian team will open the event and their Homeless World Cup campaign with a match against Ghana.

The groups:

Group A

Nigeria

South Africa

Hungary

Kazakhstan

Wales

Japan


Group B

Ghana

Italy

Mexico

Romania

Philippines

Luxembourg

Group C

Brazil

France

Denmark

USA

Kyrgyzstan

Hong Kong

Group D

Russia

England

Norway

Chile

India

Croatia

Group E

Scotland

Netherlands

Finland

Namibia

Switzerland

Costa Rica


Group F

Poland

Ireland

Czech Republic

Greece

Sweden

Cambodia

Group G

Ukraine

Lithuania

Austria

Argentina

Spain

Ivory Coast

Group H

Portugal

Germany

Australia

Canada

Malawi

Belgium