The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024. This will be the third time Paris has hosted the Summer Olympics, following 1900 and 1924. The football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics will feature both men’s and women’s competitions, with matches taking place in various cities across France.
The men’s tournament begins on July 24, with the final on August 9, while the women’s tournament begins the next day, with the final on August 10. This prestigious event will showcase the pinnacle of athletic performance across a diverse array of sports, featuring athletes from around the globe. The Paris 2024 Olympics will be a grand celebration of French culture, art, and history. Cultural events, performances, and exhibitions will be integrated into the Games, providing a holistic experience for visitors.
Olympic History
Football made its Olympic debut at the 1900 Paris Games as a demonstration sport, with Upton Park FC (representing Great Britain) winning the competition, although no official medals were awarded. The 1904 St. Louis Olympics included football, although with club teams rather than national ones, and Galt FC (representing Canada) won.
The 1908 London Olympics marked football’s official inclusion in the Games, with only European teams participating. Great Britain won the first official Olympic gold in football by defeating Denmark in the final. The 1912 Stockholm Olympics saw Great Britain retain their title, again overcoming Denmark in the final match. Women’s football made its Olympic debut at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Format and Rules
Men’s Tournament
For the men’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the format introduced for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics involves 16 teams. These teams are primarily composed of players under the age of 23, with each team allowing up to three overage players.
The tournament begins with a group stage where the 16 teams are divided into four groups of four (Groups A, B, C, and D). Each team plays three matches within their group, facing every other team in the group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, which consists of the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. The quarterfinals group winners with runners-up from different groups, leading to the semifinals and then the final. The teams that lose in the semifinals compete in a bronze medal match to determine the third-place finisher.
Women’s Tournament
The women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics features 12 teams with no age restrictions. These teams are divided into three groups of four (Groups E, F, and G) for the group stage. Each team plays three matches within their group, facing each other once. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, progress to the knockout stage. The rest of the format is same as the men’s tournament.
The Most Successful Team
The most successful team in Olympic football history is Hungary. They have won a total of five medals: three gold, one silver, and one bronze.
Gold Medals:
- 1952 Helsinki Olympics: Hungary defeated Yugoslavia 2-0 in the final.
- 1964 Tokyo Olympics: Hungary won against Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final.
- 1968 Mexico City Olympics: Hungary secured their third gold by beating Bulgaria 4-1.
Silver Medal:
- 1972 Munich Olympics: Hungary lost to Poland 2-1 in the final.
Bronze Medal:
- 1960 Rome Olympics: Hungary won the bronze by defeating Italy 2-1.
Team Participating
The following are the men’s and women’s teams that are participating in the Football Tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Qualification typically occurs through a series of regional tournaments and championships held in the years leading up to the Olympics.
Men’s Team
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
Womens’s Teams
Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
Group B: USWNT, Zambia, Germany, Australia
Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil
Venues:
The Men’s and Women’s Football Tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics will take place in seven historic sites around France from July 24 to August 10, as part of the Paris 2024 Games.
- Bordeaux Stadium
- Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium
- La Beaujoire Stadium
- Lyon Stadium
- Marseille Stadium
- Nice Stadium
- Parc des Princes
Will Lionel Messi play in the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Lionel Messi will not play for Argentina at the Paris Olympics. He had already said that he would not be part of the Argentina squad for the upcoming Olympics, starting on July 26 in Paris.
Messi said this in an interview with ESPN. “It’s hard (to think about the Olympics right now) because we’re in Copa America. It would be two, three straight months of not being with the club, and more than anything, I’m not at an age to be in everything.
In addition to his Olympic decision, Messi told ESPN that he expects to end his club career with Inter Miami.
“I have to choose carefully, and it would be too much to play two straight tournaments. I’ve been very lucky to play in the Olympics, of winning it together with Masche. It was a wonderful experience on a football level. Olympics, U20, memories I’ll never forget.”
Messi has also played in the Olympics, helping Argentina win gold in Beijing in 2008.
Will Mbappe be part of the French national team?
The national team’s captain admitted that he will not represent his country at the upcoming Paris Olympics. “For the Olympics, my club has a position which is very clear so that means I think I will not participate in the Olympics. That is how it is,” Mbappé said.
He added
“I wish the best to the France team. I will of course watch all their games as a spectator rather than an actor, and I hope they bring back the gold medal.”
