"Greetings my fellow Esportivans and may I, Beta Sigismund, be the first to welcome you to the most exalted, Glorious Commune for our region's most prestigious footballing tournament; The Campionata Esportiva! Many of you have travelled great distances to be here and once we complete the necessary security checks and allocate each team a personal chief of security, you are relatively free to enjoy yourselves here for the duration of the competition.
I'm sure you're all keen to take in the sights and atmosphere of our most impeccable country, learn which teams you'll be facing up against in your groups and begin preparing for what we are sure will be the greatest Campionata Esportiva yet. All in good time, my friends for there is protocol which must be followed. Now many of you are unfortunate to reside in countries governed upon misinformed socialist and liberal concepts. To those such peoples, I must make you aware of our laws and insist you abide by them.
The use of obscene language in any public place is strictly prohibited
Any form of public nudity is strictly prohibited. This includes men without shirts or vests and any form of skirts or shorts which do not reach at least halfway down ones thighs.
Alcohol, tobacco and any other such recreational drugs are strictly prohibited.
Recreational sex is strictly prohibited
Any other recreational activities should cease prior to 23:00 hours and it is expected that everyone is to be at their registered lodgings by 23:30pm. Curfew exists between this time and 05:00am
Your security chiefs will be able to advise you further*
So, we hope you enjoy your stay in the Glorious Commune and now on to the football.
For the Group Draw, the teams were first seeded and then divided into three pots. The top 8 seeded teams were placed in Pot 1, the subsequent 8 into Pot 2 and the unseeded teams into Pot 3. As I'm sure you're all aware, there will be four groups of seven. Each group will therefore feature two teams from Pot 1, two from Pot 2 and three from Pot 3. The Groups are as follows:
Group A - Played in Mogd-Syrdusha
The Glorious Commune (12)
Brenecia
Taijan
Felix (14)
Boring Paradise
Earo (8)
The Licentian Isles (3)
Group B - Played in Muskula'dheen
Urbis Tractus
German American States
Royal East America (11)
Dandillis (7)
Cyborg Holland (1)
Old Guard
Mystaria
Group C - Played in Mogd-Syrdusha and Muskult'rhi
Levivania 2
Chrovan (10)
Nekoni
New Sideburn (4)
Slembanana (13)
Sangti
Swyftlandre (5)
Group D - Played in Muskul'dhva and Muskulchi'tirhia
Apox (9)
Northern Sunrise Islands (2)
Ati Kaluraya
Paradystopia (6)
Baokoiyo
Albaie
Swibia
OOC: The numbers in brackets are not ranks, but merely the entered teams in order of rank. Teams numbered 1-8 comprised Pot 1, Teams numbered 9-14 plus Albaie and Urbis Tractus comprised Pot 2 (Albaie and Urbis Tractus were randomly chosen from the unranked sides to be placed within Pot 2) and all other teams comprised Pot 3. The Groups were chosen by making use of the randomise function on xkoranate.
The schedule will run thusly:
(cut-offs will occur c.08:00 BST on the given dates)
MD1 - 2v7 - 3v6 - 4v5 - 1 bye (30/7)
MD2 - 1v2 - 3v7 - 4v6 - 5 bye (31/7)
MD3 - 1v3 - 4v7 - 5v6 - 2 bye (1/8)
MD4 - 1v4 - 2v3 - 5v7 - 6 bye (2/8)
Day Off (3/8)
MD5 - 1v5 - 2v4 - 6v7 - 3 bye (4/8)
MD6 - 1v6 - 2v5 - 3v4 - 7 bye (5/8)
MD7 - 1v7 - 2v6 - 3v5 - 4 bye (6/8)
Day Off (7/8)
QFs - A1vC2 - A2vC1 - B1vD2 - B2vD1 (8/8)
SFs - A1/C2 v B2/D1 - A2/C1 v B1/D2 (9/8)
Day Off (10/8)
Final and 3PPO(11/8)(12/8)*
*Edit: Due to prior commitments which I overlooked when I constructed the schedule, I'll be unable to perform the cut-off and scorination on 11/8. I will be back home at some point on the 11th but as I've no idea when, I believe it's safer to delay the cut-off by a single day. Should all involved teams have RPed upon my return, cut-off and scorination will occur earlier. My apologies for this organisational balls-up
... And now I believe there is nothing left to say but 'Let the games begin!'
For the Glory of the Commune!
... Oh, and the rest of Esportiva ..."
*Regarding the laws of the Commune. Feel free to invent your own overly-oppressive obstacles should you wish.
EDIT: So it has been pointed out that the actual title is 'Campionato Esportiva' ... I cannot change the logo now so for this edition it's the Campionata. Feel free to comment