Blind football has featured on the Paralympic programme since Athens 2004, but the US has never fielded a team.

However, it is automatically entitled to a place in the tournament at Los Angeles 2028 as the host nation.

Former high school player Katie Smith has assembled a men's squad featuring eight players and two alternates.

She expects a women's team to be ready for 2028 too.

Smith anticipates growing interest in blind football in the US post-Los Angeles 2028.

"I honestly think once 2028 happens, the game is just going to explode from blind athletes hearing from all over the country a little bit more about USA having this sport in the Paralympics," she said.

The US men's team plans to hold several camps in the build-up to the Paralympics to help build camaraderie and skills.

It also hoped they can compete internationally to help with their preparations, and Smith insisted they will not be competing to make up the numbers at Los Angeles 2028.

"We are definitely going to be heading internationally 100 per cent," Smith added.

"A big thing that we are wanting to do is being ranked, for Team USA to be ranked.

"[We want to] make sure our name is out there and that we’re ranked and that we’re getting up to a high ranking, especially before 2028, and playing some of the best competitors in the game as well."

Brazil have been the dominant force in blind football at the Paralympics, winning all five of the available gold medals including against Argentina in the final at Tokyo 2020.