The 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris, France from July 24th to August 10th. Football (soccer) is one of the most popular Olympic events, and the men’s tournament promises to be extremely competitive. 16 teams from 6 different confederations around the world will be participating.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Games (Football) | 2024 Summer Olympics |
| Host country | France |
| Dates | 24 July – 10 August |
| Venues | 7 (in 7 host cities) |
| Competitors | 504 from 24 nations |
Venues for Olympic Football 2024
The football matches will be played across 7 different host cities and stadiums in France:
- Stade de France (Saint-Denis)
- Parc des Princes (Paris)
- Stade Vélodrome (Marseille)
- Stadium de Toulouse (Toulouse)
- Stade Geoffroy-Guichard (Saint-Étienne)
- Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Lille)
- Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux (Bordeaux)
The venues represent some of the best football stadiums France has to offer. The finals will be held at the iconic Stade de France.
Qualified Teams
Here is the full list of national teams that have qualified for the 2024 Olympics men’s football tournament:
Europe (UEFA)
- France (host nation)
- Spain
- Ukraine
Africa (CAF)
- Egypt
- Mali
North America (CONCACAF)
- United States
- Dominican Republic
South America (CONMEBOL)
- None qualified
Asia (AFC)
- Israel
Oceania (OFC)
- New Zealand
There is a good mix of footballing powerhouses like Spain, European upstarts like Ukraine, underdogs like the Dominican Republic, and lesser known teams eager to make their mark like Mali.
Players to Watch
Though Olympics rules restrict the men’s rosters to under 23 player with just 3 overage exceptions, there is still abundant talent:
Kylian Mbappé (France)
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar will lead host nation France as one of their overage players. He’ll be looking to add Olympic gold to his 2018 World Cup title.
Pedri (Spain)
Barcelona’s hugely promising young midfielder Pedri will turn 22 during the Olympics. Already with a dozen caps for the Spanish national team, Pedri’s vision and passing ability could take Spain far.
Mykhaylo Mudryk (Ukraine)
This 22-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger is coming off a breakout UEFA Champions League campaign. His pace and dribbling on the counter-attack could trouble any defense.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The 16 teams are divided into 4 groups of 4 teams each for the initial group stage. Each team plays the other 3 teams in their group once. Teams are awarded 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top 2 teams by points from each group advance to the knockout round of 8.
From the quarter-finals onwards, each match that ends in a draw after 90 minutes goes directly to a penalty shootout. The winning team advances to the next round until the final on August 10th where Olympic gold and silver medals will be awarded.
The complete schedule is not yet officially announced. More updates will be posted here soon.
Prediction
With no CONMEBOL teams qualifying and talented squads from Spain and France, a UEFA side is the safe bet to triumph. Spain’s mix of technical skill and offensive firepower looks hard to top. Backed by players like Pedri and supported by excellent coaching, La Furia Roja will be favored to earn Olympic gold in 2024.
The 2024 Olympic football tournament should provide plenty of spectacular moments and closely fought matches between talented young stars of the game. France has lined up excellent stadiums for competition across different French cities. With teams fighting not just for national pride but also the coveted prize of Olympic medals, the men’s football event is gearing up to be one of the highlights of the Paris 2024 games.