Nine powerchair football players are set to represent Ireland at the FIPFA World Cup in Florida next week.

Powerchair football, also known as powersoccer, is one of the world's fastest growing sports. It involves people with severe disabilities playing soccer on an indoor court. Two teams of four compete against each other and wheelchairs can reach speeds of up to 10km/h.

While it began as a recreational activity only 15 years ago, it quickly began to involve competitions, culminating in the FIPFA World Cup. This year's event takes place in Florida from July 5-10.

Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, which supports people with muscle-wasting conditions, was one of the groups responsible for introducing powerchair football into Ireland. Eight of the nine members of the Irish World Cup team are members of the organisation.

While the sport currently has a low profile in Ireland, it has been growing here since its formal establishment in 2009. The Irish team came 9th in the last World Cup in 2011 and 4th in the 2014 European Championships.

Aoife McNicholl is one of only two players in the current squad to have played in both of those games. She described it as a ‘real honour' to be able to represent Ireland again.

"The game in Ireland has come on so much since our first World Cup and I think we're now ready to challenge some of the best teams in the world. In the past we maybe didn't have as much experience, and were at a disadvantage in terms of the standard of our power chairs and equipment compared to the more developed countries. But now there is a much more level playing field, and while we're a young team, we're also a talented one," she commented.

Ireland kicks off its campaign on July 6 at 2.30pm (Irish time) against England. The event will be broadcast live here

For more information on the event and Ireland's other fixtures, click here

*Pictured is Team Ireland