At Tokyo 2020, the gold medals were won by Brazil and Canada in the men’s and women’s football tournaments respectively.
Here’s all you need to know about the sport at Paris 2024.
Football schedule, fixtures and venues at Paris 2024
The football events run from 24 July to 10 August. Seven stadia will be used throughout the tournament.
Nice, Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne will be among the group stage venues.
Semi-finals will be in Lyon and Marseille, with a bronze medal match in Nantes for the men’s and a bronze medal match in Lyon for the women’s tournament.
Both of the finals will be held at Paris’ legendary Parc des Princes, which can accommodate 48,000 fans. The men’s final will take place on 9 August and the women’s final on 10 August.
Host nation France will play their first men’s game of the tournament against the United States on 24 July, two days before the opening ceremony. The women’s tournament is due to begin the following day on 25 July.
Men’s Olympic tournament groups:
Group A: France, USA, Guinea, New Zealand
Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, Ukraine
Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic
Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali, Israel
Women’s Olympic tournament groups:
Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
Group B: USA, Zambia, Germany, Australia
Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil
How does Olympic football work?
The world’s most popular sport returns for a 29th Olympic appearance for men and an eighth for women.
The basic rules of the Olympic sport are the same as in domestic and international football. Two teams of 11 players compete in a 90-minute match with the side that scores the most goals claiming the win. Group matches can end in a draw but knockout games will go to extra time and penalties, if needed.
The 16 men’s teams are split into four groups, with the top two in each advancing to the quarter-finals. There are 12 women’s teams across three groups – the top two in each progress, along with the two best third-placed teams.
Only three men per squad can be over 23 but there are no age restrictions for the women.
Who has won the most medals in Olympic football?
USA are the most successful nation in the sport at the Olympics, winning eight medals (four golds). Hungary are second with five medals (three golds).
Great Britain have won three Olympic gold medals (three golds).
Will Team GB have an Olympic football team in 2024?
In short, no.
In 2012, when London was hosting, Team GB put forward a men’s team but subsequent attempts to re-form in 2016 were shelved after the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish football associations didn’t back the plans and they haven’t been tried again.
The women’s team failed to qualify after England finished second in their Nations League group.
Olympic football squads for Paris 2024
France coach Thierry Henry has named a 25-man preliminary squad for Paris 2024 but new Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe is not included. He claimed his club would not allow him to take part.
Henry’s squad does include Crystal Palace pair Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta.
