Draw for the football competitions at the next Olympic Games took place on Wednesday 20 March 2024 at the Paris 2024 headquarters in Saint-Denis.
The ceremony was attended by Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, the coaches of the French men’s and women’s Olympic football teams, Thierry Henry and Hervé Renard; as well as the coaches of the qualified teams and players like including the winners of the 1984 French Olympic football team.
The draw was made by Argentina’s Javier Saviola (2004 Olympic football champion), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, 2012 Champions League winner), Stéphanie Labbé (Canada, 2020 Olympic football champion), Marie-José Perec (1992 and 1996 Olympic 400m and 1996 Olympic 200m champion), FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman and FIFA Tournaments Director Jaime Yarza.
The 12 teams that have already qualified for the men’s tournament (out of 16) have now been confirmed. The most eye-catching group (B) is made up of Argentina, Morocco, Ukraine and a team from the Asian zone. Placed in Group A as hosts, the French Olympic team have inherited a group that, on paper, they should be able to overcome.
Thierry Henry’s men take on the United States in Marseille on 24 July at 21:00, followed by the winner of the play-off between Guinea and an Asian Zone team on 27 July. France will conclude their group stage campaign against New Zealand in Marseille on 30 July.
The tournament will be an opportunity to see the world’s stars in action, whether they are hopefuls – such as Neymar at Rio 2016 – or emerging stars on the cusp of extraordinary careers (such as Platini, Ronaldo, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Enrique, Guardiola and Xavi, who have all taken part in previous editions).
The women’s tournament, with a 12-team format (10 teams have already qualified), will guarantee some exceptional encounters from the group stage (draws for the football tournaments attached). Group B, which includes the United States, Germany, Australia and a team from the African zone, looks daunting, as does Group C, which includes current world champion Spain, Japan, Brazil and a team from the African zone.
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The football competitions of the Paris 2024 Games will take place in seven cities from Wednesday 24 July (two days before the Opening Ceremony) to Saturday 10 August 2024: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris (Parc des Princes) and Saint-Etienne.
Two men’s football matches will open the event on Wednesday 24 July at 15:00: Egypt against the Asian (AFC) U-23 Championship runners-up in Paris (Parc des Princes) and Argentina against Morocco in Saint-Etienne.
Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, said: “A France-US on 24 July in Marseille and a France-Colombia on 25 July is the dream start to the football competitions. We can’t wait for the kick-off and to experience the collective joy of these football events, which will bring together the 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams that have qualified to compete for an Olympic title, with matches taking place all over our country – from Nice to Nantes, via Bordeaux, Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Marseille and Paris for the finals”.
“Each of the 58 matches on the programme will each also be a celebration, exciting and inspiring hundreds of thousands of spectators next summer. The draw in Saint-Denis, organised with the invaluable support of FIFA, promises some great football moments to come,” said the President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee.
Tickets for the Olympic Football Tournament are now on sale at www.tickets.paris2024.org. Tickets for all matches in the Paris 2024 Football Tournaments are still available on the official ticketing website tickets.paris2024.org starting at €24 for all group matches (except France, starting at €30).
