Football at the Summer Olympics

Last updated

Football at the Summer Olympics
Football pictogram.svg
IOC CodeFBL
Governing body FIFA
Events2 (men: 1; women: 1)
Summer Olympics

Tournaments (menwomen)

Association football [note 1] has been included in every Summer Olympic Games as a men's competition sport, except 1896 (the inaugural Games) and 1932 (in an attempt to promote the new FIFA World Cup tournament). Women's football was added to the official program at the Atlanta 1996 Games. [1] [2]

Contents

In order to avoid competition with the World Cup, FIFA have restricted participation of elite players in the men's tournament in various ways: currently, squads for the men's tournament are required to be composed of players under 23 years of age, with three permitted exceptions. [3] [4] [5]

By comparison, the women's football tournament is a full senior-level international tournament, second in prestige only to the FIFA Women's World Cup. [6] [7] [8]

Another major difference between the men's and women's tournaments is that the men's tournament is not included in the FIFA International Match Calendar, [9] while the women's tournament is included. [10] [11] This in turn means that clubs are not required to release players for the men's tournament, but must release players for the women's event. [12] [13]

History

Pre-World Cup era

Beginnings

Football was not included in the program at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, as international football was in its infancy at the time. However, sources claim that an unofficial football tournament was organised during the first competition, with participating teams including Athens and Smyrna (İzmir), then part of the Ottoman Empire. [14] However, according to Bill Mallon's research, this is an error which has been perpetuated in multiple texts. [15]

Tournaments were played at the 1900 and 1904 games and the Intercalated Games of 1906, but these were contested by various clubs and scratch teams. [14] Although the IOC considers the 1900 and 1904 tournaments to be official Olympic events, they are not recognised by FIFA, and neither recognises the Intercalated Games today. In 1900 the competition was won by the London amateurs of Upton Park FC, representing Great Britain. The 1904 tournament was won by Canada, represented by Galt FC.

British successes

In the London Games of 1908 a proper international tournament was organised by the Football Association, featuring just six teams. The number of teams rose to eleven in 1912, when the competition was organised by the Swedish Football Association. Many of these early matches were unbalanced, as evidenced by high scoring games; two players, Sophus Nielsen in 1908 and Gottfried Fuchs in 1912, each scored ten goals in a single match. All players were amateurs, in accordance with the Olympic rules, which meant that countries could not send their full senior national teams. The National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Ireland asked the Football Association to send an English national amateur team. Some of the English members played with professional clubs, most notably Derby County's Ivan Sharpe, Bradford City F.C. Harold Walden and Chelsea's Vivian Woodward. England won the first two official tournaments convincingly, beating Denmark both times.

1920s and the rise of Uruguay

The Uruguay national football team that won the 1928 Olympic tournament Uruguay 1928 olympics.jpg
The Uruguay national football team that won the 1928 Olympic tournament

During the 1920 final against Belgium, the Czechoslovakia national football team walked off the field to protest the refereeing of John Lewis [16] and the militarised mood within the stadium in Antwerp. This would be the final all-European football competition at the Olympic games, with Egypt, the United States, and Uruguay participating in 1924. [16] With teams from new regions the quality of play increased, as did fan interest. [16] Uruguay dominated the tournament, winning their four games by a combined score of 15-1: the final was a 3–0 victory over Switzerland. [16] In 1928, football was the most popular event at the games [17] and the final was an all-South American affair. Because no other major international tournament existed yet, Uruguay defeated Argentina 2–1 in what David Goldblatt says was "football's first world championship". [18] After these tournaments, FIFA realized that the Olympic movement prevented nations from competing on an equal footing and, given that the Olympics only permitted amateurs to participate, did not represent the true strength of the international game. The popularity of international soccer gave FIFA the incentive to create an international tournament, and FIFA began organising the World Cup. [17]

After the first World Cup

Tumultuous '30s

Following Jules Rimet's proposal in 1929 to initiate a professional World Championship of Football, the sport was dropped from the 1932 Los Angeles Games by FIFA in an attempt to promote the new tournament. Football returned to controversy at the 1936 Berlin Games. The German organisers were intent on the return of the game to the Olympic movement since it guaranteed income into the organisation's coffers. The Italian team intimidated a referee. Peru scored a contested victory over Austria in overtime, with a fan invasion of the field at the very end. The Austrian team asked for the result to be annulled, and the game repeated. FIFA agreed, but the Peruvian team refused and left the Olympics. [19] [20]

Soviet Bloc dominance amid amateurism controversy

As professionalism spread around the world, the gap in quality between the World Cup and the Olympics widened. The countries that benefited most were the Soviet Bloc countries of Eastern Europe, where top athletes were state-sponsored while retaining their status as amateurs. As a result, young Western amateurs had to face seasoned and veteran Soviet Bloc teams, which put them at a significant disadvantage. All Olympic football tournaments from 1948 to 1980 were dominated by the Soviet Union and its satellites. [21] Between 1948 and 1980, 23 out of 28 Olympic medals were won by Eastern Europe, with only Sweden (gold in 1948 and bronze in 1952), Denmark (bronze in 1948 and silver in 1960) and Japan (bronze in 1968) breaking their dominance. The next two tournaments saw some changes due to FIFA's changing of the call-up rules, with only Yugoslavia (bronze in 1984) and the Soviet Union (gold in 1988) winning medals for the Eastern Bloc.

Changes and developments

For the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the IOC decided to admit professional players, however, FIFA still did not want the Olympics to rival the World Cup.

A compromise was struck that allowed teams from countries outside of UEFA and CONMEBOL to field their strongest sides, while restricting UEFA and CONMEBOL (the strongest confederations whose teams had played all finals and won every single World Cup title) countries to players who had not played in a World Cup. [22] [23] [24]

The 1984 rules were maintained also for the 1988 edition, but with an additional rider: any European and South American footballers who had previously played less than 90 minutes in one single match of the World Cup, were eligible. [25]

1992–present: Age restrictions introduced

Since 1992, male competitors have been required to be under 23 years old, [26] [27] and since 1996, a maximum of three over-23-year-old players have been allowed per squad. [note 2] [30] [31] African countries have taken particular advantage of this, with Nigeria and Cameroon winning in 1996 and 2000 respectively. [32]

Because of the unusual format and the separation from the main national teams that play the World Cup and top continental tournaments, historically strong men's national teams have unimpressive Olympic records. Uruguay, who won the two tournaments prior to the World Cup's creation, only qualified again in 2012, after an 84-year absence. [33] Argentina won silver twice (1928 and 1996) before the 2004 tournament, but its appearance in Athens 2004, in which it won the first gold medal, was only their seventh overall. [34] [35] Brazil's silver medals in the 1984, 1988 and 2012 editions were the best they had achieved until back-to-back golds in 2016 and 2020, the former on home soil. [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] Italy has only won the Olympic title once, in 1936, although along with the two bronzes, the team has the highest number of appearances in the tournament, with 15, the last in 2008. [42] France won the Olympic title in 1984, but only qualified twice ever since. A team from Germany won the gold medal only once, in 1976 (East Germany), and the reunified team did not make an Olympic appearance until 2016, when they won silver. Spain has won gold in 1992 and 2024, the former as hosts, and followed it with two silver medals (in 2000 and 2020, having also won a third in 1920), along with a few failures to qualify.

British non-involvement

Football in the United Kingdom has no single governing body, and there are separate teams for the UK's four Home Nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Further to this, only the English Football Association (FA) is affiliated to the British Olympic Association (BOA), and the FA entered "Great Britain" teams to the football tournaments until 1972.

In 1950, the FA abolished the distinction between "amateur" and "professional" football, and ceased to enter the Olympics. Even though FIFA has allowed professionals at the Olympics since 1984, the FA did not re-enter, as the Home Nations were concerned that a united British Olympic team would set a precedent that might cause FIFA to question their separate status in other FIFA competitions, and even their status on or the existence of the International Football Association Board. [43] [44]

When London was selected to host the 2012 Games, there was pressure on the English FA to exercise the host nation's automatic right to field a team. [45] In 2009 the plan agreed by the FA with the Welsh FA, Scottish FA and Irish FA was only to field English players; [46] however the BOA overruled this, [47] and ultimately there were Welsh players in the men's squad and Scots players in the women's squad. [48] After the 2012 games, the FA decided that no team would be entered in subsequent men's tournaments, but was open to fielding a women's team again. The distinction recognised the importance and status of Olympic football in the women's international game. [49]

For the 2020 tournament, FIFA stated that the women's UK team (not applied to the men's UK team) may enter the Olympics after the four FAs agreed, depending on the performance of women's English team in 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup (which serves as the European qualification for the Olympics). This brought women's football under the BOA jurisdiction in line with the long-standing qualification rules in field hockey and rugby sevens, although the home nation's sevens teams were subsumed into a standing Great Britain team in 2022. [50] [51]

Venues

Due to the number of large stadia required for the Olympic tournament, venues in distant cities – often more than 200 km (120 mi) away from the main host – are typically used for the football tournament. In an extreme example, two early-round venues for the 1984 Games were on the East Coast of the United States, well over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from the host city of Los Angeles. The next Games held in the United States, the 1996 Games, were unique in that no matches were held in the host city of Atlanta; the nearest venue and the site of the finals was 65 miles (105 km) away on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Counting the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, there are 127 venues that have hosted Olympic football, the most of any sport.

Edition of the Olympic GamesCityStadium
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Athens 1896 No official football tournament
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris 1900 Paris Vincennes Velodrome
Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg St. Louis 1904 St. Louis Francis Field
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London 1908 London White City Stadium
Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm 1912 Stockholm Stockholm Olympic Stadium
Råsunda Stadium
Tranebergs Idrottsplats
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Antwerp 1920 Antwerp Olympic Stadium
Stadion Broodstraat
Brussels Stade de l'Union St. Gilloise
Ghent Stade d'A.A. La Gantoise
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris 1924 Paris Stade Olympique, Colombes
Stade Bergeyre
Stade de Paris, Saint-Ouen
Stade Pershing, Vincennes
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Amsterdam 1928 Amsterdam Olympisch Stadion
Harry Elte Stadium
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Los Angeles 1932 No football tournament
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg Berlin 1936 Berlin Olympiastadion
Poststadion, Tiergarten
Mommsenstadion, Charlottenburg
Hertha-BSC-Platz
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London 1948 London Empire Stadium, Wembley
White Hart Lane, Tottenham
Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace
Craven Cottage, Fulham
Griffin Park, Brentford
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
Lynn Road, Ilford
Green Pond Road, Walthamstow
Champion Hill, Dulwich
Brighton Goldstone Ground
Portsmouth Fratton Park
Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki 1952 Helsinki Olympiastadion
Töölö Football Grounds
Turku Kupittaa Stadium
Tampere Ratina Stadium
Lahti Kisapuisto
Kotka Kotka Stadium
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Melbourne 1956 Melbourne Melbourne Cricket Ground
Olympic Park Stadium
Flag of Italy.svg Rome 1960 Rome Flaminio Stadium
Florence Stadio Comunale
Grosseto Stadio Comunale
Livorno Stadio Ardenza
Pescara Stadio Adriatico
L'Aquila Stadio Comunale
Naples Stadio Fuorigrotta
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Tokyo 1964 Tokyo National Olympic Stadium
Prince Chichibu Memorial Field
Komazawa Stadium
Ōmiya Omiya Soccer Stadium
Yokohama Mitsuzawa Football Stadium
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico City 1968 Mexico City Azteca Stadium
Puebla Estadio Cuauhtémoc
Guadalajara Estadio Jalisco
León Estadio León
Flag of Germany.svg Munich 1972 Munich Olympiastadion
Augsburg Rosenaustadion
Ingolstadt ESV-Stadion
Regensburg Jahn Stadium
Nuremberg Städtisches Stadium
Passau Drei Flüsse Stadion
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Montreal 1976 Montreal Olympic Stadium
Sherbrooke Municipal Stadium
Toronto Varsity Stadium
Ottawa Lansdowne Stadium
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow 1980 Moscow Grand Central Lenin Stadium
Dynamo Stadium
Leningrad Kirov Stadium
Kyiv Republican Stadium
Minsk Dinamo Stadium
Flag of the United States.svg Los Angeles 1984 Pasadena, California Rose Bowl
Boston Harvard Stadium
Annapolis, Maryland Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Stanford, California Stanford Stadium
Flag of South Korea (1984-1997).svg Seoul 1988 Seoul Olympic Stadium
Dongdaemun Stadium
Busan Busan Stadium
Daegu Daegu Stadium
Daejeon Daejeon Stadium
Gwangju Gwangju Stadium
Flag of Spain.svg Barcelona 1992 Barcelona Camp Nou
Estadi de Sarrià
Sabadell Estadi de la Nova Creu Alta
Zaragoza Estadio La Romareda
Valencia Estadio Luis Casanova
Flag of the United States.svg Atlanta 1996 Athens, Georgia Sanford Stadium
Orlando, Florida Citrus Bowl
Birmingham, Alabama Legion Field
Miami, Florida Miami Orange Bowl
Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Sydney 2000 Sydney Olympic Stadium
Sydney Football Stadium
Brisbane Brisbane Cricket Ground
Adelaide Hindmarsh Stadium
Canberra Bruce Stadium
Melbourne Melbourne Cricket Ground
Flag of Greece.svg Athens 2004 Marousi Olympic Stadium
Piraeus Karaiskakis Stadium
Patras Pampeloponnisiako Stadium
Volos Panthessaliko Stadium
Thessaloniki Kaftanzoglio Stadium
Heraklion Pankritio Stadium
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Beijing 2008 Beijing National Stadium
Workers' Stadium
Tianjin Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Shanghai Shanghai Stadium
Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Shenyang Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London 2012 London Wembley Stadium
Glasgow Hampden Park
Cardiff Millennium Stadium
Coventry City of Coventry Stadium [note 3]
Manchester Old Trafford
Newcastle upon Tyne St James' Park [note 3]
Flag of Brazil.svg Rio 2016 Rio de Janeiro Maracanã
João Havelange Olympic Stadium
São Paulo Arena Corinthians
Brasília Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha
Salvador Arena Fonte Nova [note 4]
Belo Horizonte Estádio Mineirão
Manaus Arena da Amazônia
Flag of Japan.svg Tokyo 2020
Tokyo Tokyo Stadium [note 5]
Yokohama International Stadium Yokohama [note 5]
Kashima Kashima Soccer Stadium
Saitama Saitama Stadium 2002
Rifu Miyagi Stadium
Sapporo Sapporo Dome
Flag of France.svg

Paris 2024

Marseille Stade Vélodrome
Décines-Charpieu
(Lyon area)
Groupama Stadium
Paris Parc des Princes
Bordeaux Matmut Atlantique
Nantes Stade de la Beaujoire
Nice Allianz Riviera
Saint-Étienne Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

Events

Event96 1900 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 2000 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Men's event X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 28
Women's event X X X X X X X X 8
Total011111110111111111111122222222

Competition format

From the 1992 Summer Olympics Football games always start before the opening ceremony because of the event's calendar which needs to be longer than other sports. Since 1996, football starts two days before the games opening ceremonies and since then it is a common condition for some sports.

For both the men's and women's tournaments, the competition consists of a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout stage. Teams are placed into groups of 4 teams, with each team playing each other team in its group once. Teams earn 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The top two teams in each group (as well as the top two third-place finishers, in the women's tournament) advance to the knockout rounds. The knockout rounds are a single-elimination tournament consisting of quarterfinals, semifinals, and the gold and bronze medal matches.

Matches consist of two halves of 45 minutes each. Since 2004, during the knockout rounds, if the match is tied after 90 minutes, two 15-minute halves of extra time are played (extra time is skipped in favour of immediate penalty kicks in the bronze medal match if it is played on the same day in the same stadium as the gold medal match). If the score remains tied, penalty kicks, which is 5 rounds, plus extra rounds if tied, are used to determine the winner. [52]

The qualifying tournament, like that for the World Cup, is organised along continental lines. Most continental confederations organise a special Under-23 qualifying tournament, although the European qualifiers are drawn from the finalists of the UEFA Under-21 Championship. Teams participating in the preliminary and final competitions must be composed of U-23 players, with up to three players who are at least 23. For Paris 2024, U-23 players were born after 1 January 2001. [53]

For the 2024 Games, the number of places allocated to each continent is:

Team variants

Men

Women

Men's tournament

Men's Olympic football tournament
Football pictogram.svg
Organising body IOC
FIFA
Founded1900 [55]
RegionInternational
Number of teams16 (finals)
(from 6 confederations)
Current championsFlag of Spain.svg  Spain
(2nd title)
Most successful team(s)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
(3 titles each)
Soccerball current event.svg 2024 Summer Olympics

Participating nations

Numbers refer to the final placing of each team at the respective Games. Host nation is shown in bold.

UEFA
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 621154
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Part of Russian Empire / Soviet Union101
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 3115545
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 10173525
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Part of Czechoslovakia141
Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia 99291WDSplit into Slovakia and Czech Republic5
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 221035261389
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany [56] WD3312WDMerged into West Germany (FRG)4
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 17Part of Soviet Union1
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 491494
Flag of France.svg  France 254595179751513214
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany [57] 755495532910
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 11111541758510
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 1317153
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 51391WD3112169
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 7172
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Competed with Asia (qualified 2 times)151
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 85631594DSQ4451253515
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 16Part of Soviet Union1
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 17Part of Soviet Union1
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 121199996
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3334991778
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 97314105
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 1749101227
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 541464
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 14175114
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 10Part of Russian Empire / Soviet Union. As the Soviet Union 1
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia Part of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro121
Flag of Serbia and Montenegro.svg  Serbia and Montenegro Part of Yugoslavia16Split into 2 nations1
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Part of Czechoslovakia131
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union As the Russian Empire 91333WD1Split into 15 nations, with Russia as successor6
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 217561210162142112
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 41163913661510
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 29133
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 179955WD146
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine -10Part of Russian Empire / Soviet Union. As the Soviet Union 91
Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia 9179222164310Split into 5, later 6 nations11
CONMEBOL
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 2710WD82111110710
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 569131342237321114
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 1717734
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 1011111465
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 7263
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 5112
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 11WD93
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 121
CONCACAF
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 11363
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 161383
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 1172
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 121
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 151
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 810163
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 101674145
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 91111479 DSQ 1071019312
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Netherlands Antilles 14Split into 2 nations1
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2 [58] 312991117514WD91291049815
CAF
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 8142
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 11183
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 8849119WD 12 4 WD81288413
Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon 121
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 71216WDWD3896
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea 11162
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 672
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali 5142
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 13WD8121516101138
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 14WD131518237
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 61
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Banned due the Apartheid 1113163
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 151
Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 151314124
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia WD1552
AFC
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Afghanistan.svg  Afghanistan 171
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia Competed with Oceania (qualified 6 times)11122
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 911WD14134
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 161
Flag of India.svg  India 11174134
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 51
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 12127WD3
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 5149412106
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 56Competed with Europe (qualified 1 time)2
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 59839613154104512
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait 616123
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 10WD1
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 91
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea WD81
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 1582
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 1615153
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 514111111961035511
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria 141
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 9162
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 151
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan Part of Russian Empire / Soviet Union131
OFC
Nation 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 57413157AFC (qualified 2 times)6
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 161
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 14166114
Total nations32511142217161825111614161613161616161616161616161616

Results

Keys
Ed.YearHostsGold medal matchBronze medal matchNum.
teams
Gold medal icon.svg Gold medalistsScoreSilver medal icon.svg Silver medalistsBronze medal icon.svg Bronze medalistsScoreFourth place
[n 1] 1896 Athens
(No official tournament held)
1 [n 2] 1900 Paris Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain [n 3]
[n 4]
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg France [n 5] Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium [n 6]
[n 4]
[n 7]
3
2 [n 2] 1904 St. Louis Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg Canada [n 8]
[n 4]
Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg United States [n 9] Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg United States [n 10]
[n 4]
[n 7]
3
3 1908 London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
2–0
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
2–0
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
6
4 1912 Stockholm Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
4–2
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
9–0
Flag of Russia.svg  Finland
11
5 1920 Antwerp Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
[n 11]
Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg  Spain Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
[n 11]
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
14
6 1924 Paris Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
3–0
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
1–1 (a.e.t.)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
22
3–1
7 1928 Amsterdam Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay
1–1 (a.e.t.)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
11–3
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Egypt
17
2–1
1932 Los Angeles
(No tournament held)
8 1936 Berlin Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
3–2
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland
16
9 1948 London Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
3–1
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
5–3
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
18
10 1952 Helsinki Flag of Hungary (1949-1956; 1-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary
2–0
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
2–0
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
25
11 1956 Melbourne Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1–0
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria
3–0
Flag of India.svg  India
11
12 1960 Rome Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
3–1
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
2–1
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
16
13 1964 Tokyo Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
2–1
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia German Olympic flag (1959-1968).svg  United Team of Germany
3–1
Flag of the United Arab Republic.svg  United Arab Republic
14
14 1968 Mexico City Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
4–1
Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg  Bulgaria Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
2–0
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
16
15 1972 Munich Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland
2–1
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2–2 (a.e.t.)
[n 12]
16
16 1976 Montreal Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
3–1
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2–0
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil
13
17 1980 Moscow Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia
1–0
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2–0
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
16
18 1984 Los Angeles Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France
2–0
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
2–1
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
16
19 1988 Seoul Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg  Brazil Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
3–0
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
16
20 1992 Barcelona Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
3–2
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
1–0
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
16
21 1996 Atlanta Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
3–2
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
5–0
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal
16
22 2000 Sydney Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon
2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p)
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Flag of Chile.svg  Chile
2–0
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
16
23 2004 Athens Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina
1–0
Flag of Paraguay (1990-2013).svg  Paraguay Flag of Italy (2003-2006).svg  Italy
1–0
Flag of Iraq (2004-2008).svg  Iraq
16
24 2008 Beijing Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
3–0
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
16
25 2012 London Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
2–0
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
16
26 2016 Rio de Janeiro Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
3–2
Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg  Honduras
16
27 2020 Tokyo Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
3–1
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
16
28 2024 Paris Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Flag of France.svg  France Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco
6–0
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
16
Notes
  1. This tournament was part of the unofficial programme, or a demonstration sport, during the 1896 Olympic Games
  2. 1 2 This tournament was originally a pair of demonstration matches between the three teams, but has subsequently been upgraded to official status by the IOC with medals attributed to the teams based upon the match results.
  3. Represented by the Upton Park F.C.
  4. 1 2 3 4 No final was held so it was played under a round-robin format.
  5. Represented by the Club Français.
  6. Represented by the University of Brussels, included one British and one Dutch player.
  7. 1 2 Three teams participated in the tournament.
  8. Represented by the Galt F.C.
  9. Represented by the Christian Brothers College.
  10. Represented by the St. Rose Parish.
  11. 1 2 The 1920 final between Belgium and Czechoslovakia was abandoned in the 39th minute with Belgium leading 2–0 after Czechoslovakia walked off to protest the officiating; they were ejected from the competition, and a second tournament to determine the other medalists was held, with Spain beating the Netherlands for second place 3–1.
  12. Bronze medal shared.

Performances by countries

Below are the 41 nations that have reached at least the semi-finals in the Summer Olympics finals.

TeamGold medalsSilver medalsBronze medalsFourth placeMedals
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 3 (1952, 1964, 1968)1 (1972)1 (1960)5
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 3 (1900, 1908, 1912)1 (1948)3
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2 (2016, 2020)3 (1984, 1988, 2012)2 (1996, 2008)1 (1976)7
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2 (1992, 2024)3 (1920, 2000, 2020)5
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 2 (2004, 2008)2 (1928, 1996)4
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2 (1956, 1988)3 (1972, 1976, 1980)5
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 2 (1924, 1928)2
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 1 (1960)3 (1948, 1952, 1956)1 (1984)1 (1980)5
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 1 (1972)2 (1976, 1992)1 (1936)3
Flag of France.svg  France 1 (1984)2 (1900, 2024)3
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 1 (1976)1 (1980)1 (1972)3
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 1 (1996)1 (2008)1 (2016)3
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 1 (1980)1 (1964)2
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1 (1936)2 (1928, 2004)4 (1920, 1960, 1984, 1988)3
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1 (1948)2 (1924, 1952)1 (1908)3
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 1 (2012)1 (2020)1 (1968)2
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1 (1920)1 (1900)1 (2008)2
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1 (1904)1
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 1 (2000)1
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 3 (1908, 1912, 1960)1 (1948)4
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1 (1904)1 (1904)1 (2000)2
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 1 (1968)1 (1956)2
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1 (2016)1 (1952)1
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 1 (1924)1
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 1 (1936)1
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 1 (2004)1
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3 (1908, 1912, 1920)1 (1924)3
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1 (1968)2 (2012, 2020)1
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1 (1936)1
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  United Team of Germany 1 (1964)1
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 1 (1988)1
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 1 (1992)1
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 1 (2000)1
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1 (2012)1
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1 (2024)1
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 3 (1928, 1964, 2024)0
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 1 (1912)0
Flag of India.svg  India 1 (1956)0
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1 (1992)0
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 1 (1996)0
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 1 (2004)0
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 1 (2016)0

Women's tournament

Women's Olympic football tournament
Women's football pictogram.svg
Organising body IOC
FIFA
Founded1996
RegionInternational
Number of teams12 (finals)
(from 6 confederations)
Current championsFlag of the United States.svg  United States
(5th title)
Most successful team(s)Flag of the United States.svg  United States
(5 titles)
Soccerball current event.svg 2024 Summer Olympics

The women's tournament is contested between the full senior national teams, with no restrictions. [59] One place is reserved for the host country. Of the remaining teams, as in World Cup contests, a specific number of places are reserved for teams from each continental region; the European (UEFA) teams until 2020 are chosen from the most successful European teams in the previous year's World Cup; the UEFA Women's Nations League which its finals is held in the same year as the Olympics was used from 2024, while the other continental regions host their own qualifying tournaments in the build-up to the Olympics.

The first women's tournament was at the 1996 Atlanta Games. The United States won the gold medal. Norway defeated the U.S. in 2000 by a golden goal that was highly controversial and seemed like a handball, but was allowed to stand. [60] The finals of the next two tournaments, in 2004 and 2008, also went to extra time, with the U.S. defeating Brazil both times. In 2012 the U.S. won their fourth gold medal defeating Japan 2–1 in the final. In 2016 Germany won its first gold, defeating in the final Sweden, who upset in the succession the U.S. and hosts Brazil. In 2020, Canada won gold on penalties over Sweden, having previously also beaten Brazil and the U.S.

Allocation of places for each continent in the 2024 Games was:

Participating nations

Numbers refer to the final placing of each team at the respective Games. Host nation is shown in bold.

UEFA
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 81
Flag of France.svg  France 4663
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 5333136
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 572
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 101
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 51
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3173
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 41
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 66467227
CONMEBOL
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 111
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 442264628
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 111
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 111183
CONCACAF
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 833175
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 81
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 121115318
CAF
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 121
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 8611114
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 10102
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia 9122
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe 121
AFC
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia OFC (q. 2 t.)7493
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 25958106
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 7742856
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea 992
OFC
Nation 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 24 Years
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 75AFC (qualified 3 times)2
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 108912105
Total nations88101212121212

Results

Keys
Ed.YearHostsGold medal matchBronze medal matchNum.
teams
Gold medal icon.svg Gold medalistsScoreSilver medal icon.svg Silver medalistsBronze medal icon.svg Bronze medalistsScoreFourth place
1
1996 Atlanta Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2–1
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
2–0
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
8
2
2000 Sydney Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
3–2 (a.s.d.e.t.)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
2–0
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
8
3
2004 Athens Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2–1 (a.e.t.)
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
1–0
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
10
4
2008 Beijing Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1–0 (a.e.t.)
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
2–0
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan
12
5
2012 London Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2–1
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
1–0
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg  France
12
6
2016 Rio de Janeiro Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
2–1
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2–1
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
12
7
2020 Tokyo Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p)
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Flag of the United States.svg  United States
4–3
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
12
8
2024 Paris Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
1–0
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
12

Performances by countries

Below are the ten nations that have reached at least the semi-finals in the Summer Olympics finals.

TeamGold medalsSilver medalsBronze medalsFourth placeMedals
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 5 (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2024)1 (2000)1 (2020)7
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 1 (2016)4 (2000, 2004, 2008, 2024)5
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1 (2020)2 (2012, 2016)3
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1 (2000)1 (1996)2
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 3 (2004, 2008, 2024)3 (1996, 2000, 2016)3
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2 (2016, 2020)1 (2004)2
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1 (2012)1 (2008)1
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1 (1996)1
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1 (2020)0
Flag of France.svg  France 1 (2012)0
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 1 (2024)0

Medal table

As of gold medal match of 2024 Olympics women's tournament
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)5229
2Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary  (HUN)3115
3Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)3003
4Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil  (BRA)26210
5Flag of Spain.svg  Spain  (ESP)2305
6Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina  (ARG)2204
7Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)2035
8Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)2024
9Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay  (URU)2002
10Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg  Yugoslavia  (YUG)1315
11Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)1225
12Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)1203
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland  (POL)1203
14Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER)1146
15Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)1113
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria  (NGR)1113
17Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia  (TCH)1102
18Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA)1023
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway  (NOR)1023
20Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium  (BEL)1012
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico  (MEX)1012
22Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon  (CMR)1001
23Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark  (DEN)0314
24Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria  (BUL)0112
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan  (JPN)0112
26Flag of Austria.svg  Austria  (AUT)0101
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China  (CHN)0101
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay  (PAR)0101
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland  (SUI)0101
30Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED)0033
31Flag of Chile.svg  Chile  (CHI)0011
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana  (GHA)0011
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco  (MAR)0011
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea  (KOR)0011
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  United Team of Germany  (EUA)0011
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)0011
Totals (36 entries)363637109

See also

Notes

  1. Officially referred to by the IOC simply as 'football'. For more information, see Names for association football.
  2. For the 2020 Summer Olympics, the age for the eligible players who had been already qualified were adjusted to under 24 years old, by reason of that Olympics being postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [28] [29]
  3. 1 2 City of Coventry Stadium and St. James Park were normally called Ricoh Arena and Sports Direct Arena respectively, but because of the IOC rules disallowing corporate sponsorship for event sites, they were renamed for the duration of the Games.
  4. Arena Fonte Nova was normally called Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, but because of the IOC rules disallowing corporate sponsorship for event sites, the venue was renamed for the duration of the Games.
  5. 1 2 Tokyo Stadium and International Stadium Yokohama were normally called Ajinomoto Stadium and Nissan Stadium respectively, but because of the IOC rules disallowing corporate sponsorship for event sites, the venue was renamed for the duration of the Games.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Association football</span> Team sport played with a spherical ball

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIFA World Cup</span> Football tournament

The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War. The reigning champions are Argentina, who won their third title at the 2022 tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States men's national soccer team</span> Mens national soccer team

The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) represents the United States in men's international soccer competitions. The team is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, which is a member of FIFA and CONCACAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States women's national soccer team</span> Womens national soccer team representing the United States

The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States of America in international women's soccer. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Kingdom national football team</span> Football team representing the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom national football team are a football team that represents the United Kingdom. Despite football being the most popular sport in the country, the team has not played since 1965, as separate teams represent each home nation in all major international football tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship, as well as various friendlies. It is the home nations which are FIFA affiliated and not the United Kingdom as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada women's national soccer team</span>

The Canada women's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association, the governing body for soccer in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweden women's national football team</span>

The Sweden women's national football team, nicknamed Blågult, represents Sweden at international women's association football competitions. It was established in 1973 and is governed by the Swedish Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan women's national football team</span> Womens national association football team representing Japan

The Japan women's national football team, commonly known as Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン), represents Japan in women's association football and is run by the Japan Football Association (JFA). The only country to win every FIFA competition and the most successful women's national team in the Asian Football Confederation, its highest ranking in the FIFA Women's World Rankings is 3rd, achieved in December 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexico women's national football team</span> Womens national association football team representing Mexico

The Mexico women's national football team represents Mexico in international women's football. The team is governed by the Mexican Football Federation and competes within CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. It has won three gold medals in the Central American and Caribbean Games and a gold medal in the Pan American Games, as well as a silver and bronze in the Women's World Cup prior to FIFA's recognition of the women's game. In addition to its senior team, Mexico also has U-20, U-17, and U-15 teams. The U-17 team reached the final of the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, and the U-15 cohort earned the bronze medal in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papua New Guinea women's national soccer team</span>

The Papua New Guinea women's national soccer team is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA). Its nickname is the Lakatois, which is a Motuan sailing vessel. Their home ground is the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium, located in Port Moresby and their current manager is Peter Gunemba. Deslyn Siniu is the team's most capped player and top scorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> International Football Tournament

The association football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics was held from 25 July to 11 August, and was the only sport to begin before the official opening day of the Olympic Games, two days before the opening ceremony. It was also the only sport to be held at multiple venues outside London, with Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Coventry and Cardiff all hosting matches. The finals were played at Wembley Stadium. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their senior women's and men's under-23 national teams to participate; men's teams were allowed to augment their squads with three players over the age of 23. Five hundred and four football players competed for two sets of gold medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alyssa Naeher</span> American soccer player (born 1988)

Alyssa Michele Naeher is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. She was part of the United States roster during the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and was the starting goalkeeper for the winning U.S. teams at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as the bronze-medal winning 2020 Tokyo Olympics team. She has also played for the Boston Breakers and Turbine Potsdam. She was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year while with the Breakers in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">France at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

France competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, between 27 July and 12 August 2012. French athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games of the modern era. The French Olympic Committee sent a total of 330 athletes to the Games, 183 men and 147 women, to compete in 24 sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazil at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Brazil competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-first appearance at the Summer Olympics, having missed the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. The Brazilian Olympic Committee sent a total of 258 athletes to the Games, 136 men and 122 women, to compete in 24 sports. Brazil left London with a total of 17 Olympic medals, winning their third largest number of medals at a single games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

New Zealand competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-fourth appearance at the Olympics. The New Zealand Olympic Committee sent 184 athletes, 97 men, and 87 women to the Games to compete in 16 sports, the nation's largest ever delegation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's soccer in Australia</span> Association football practiced by women in Australia

Women's soccer, also known as women's football, is a popular sport in Australia. The sport has a high level of participation in the country both recreational and professional. Football Australia is the national governing body of the sport in Australia, organising the A-League Women, the Australian women's national team, and the nine state governing bodies of the game, among other duties. Women's participation of modern soccer has been recorded since the early 1920s. It has since become one of Australia's most popular women's team sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Britain women's Olympic football team</span>

The Great Britain women's Olympic football team represent the United Kingdom in the women's football tournament at the Olympic Games. Normally, no team represents the whole of the United Kingdom in women's football, as separate teams represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessie Fleming</span> Canadian soccer player (born 1998)

Jessie Alexandra Fleming is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for National Women's Soccer League club Portland Thorns and captains the Canadian national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Fox</span> American soccer player (born 1998)

Emily Ann Fox is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right back for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the United States national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament</span> Olympic event

The women's football tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics was held from 21 July to 6 August 2021. Originally, it was to be held from 22 July to 7 August 2020, but the Summer Olympics were postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the official name of the games remains the 2020 Summer Olympics. It was the seventh edition of the women's Olympic football tournament. Together with the men's competition, the 2020 Summer Olympics football tournament was held at six stadiums in six cities in Japan. The final was hosted at the International Stadium in Yokohama. There were no player age restrictions for teams participating in the competition.

References

  1. "Tokyo 2020 Football - Olympic Results by Discipline". Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. "Team sports: how can your Team Qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics?". Olympics.com. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  3. Hartman, Ike (23 July 2021). "Why Olympic Men's Soccer Has An Age Limit". The18. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  4. Hanley, Liam (9 July 2021). "Explaining The New Age-Limit Rules For Olympic Men's Soccer". The18. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  5. Anderson, Jason. "Olympic men's soccer bracket: Standings, schedule and what to know". USA TODAY. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  6. Goff, Steven (19 July 2021). "What to know about soccer at the Tokyo Olympics". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  7. Creditor, Avi. "The USWNT and Sweden: A Frequent Tale on the Tournament Stage". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  8. Cons, Roddy (25 July 2024). "Why is there no age restriction in the women's Olympic soccer tournament?". AS USA. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  9. "Men's International Match Calendar 2023–2030" (PDF). FIFA.com. April 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  10. "Women's International Match Calendar 2024–2025" (PDF). FIFA.com. January 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  11. "Women's International Match Calendar 2026–2029" (PDF). FIFA.com. May 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  12. Borden, Sam (23 July 2024). "2024 Olympics: What to know about USA men's, women's soccer". ESPN.com. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  13. Twomey, Liam. "Why clubs are denying players a place at Olympic Games - and why it is allowed". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  14. 1 2 Goldblatt 2008, p. 243.
  15. Mallon, Bill; Widlund, Ture (1998). The 1896 Olympic Games. Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary . Jefferson: McFarland. p.  118. ISBN   0-7864-0379-9.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Goldblatt 2008, p. 244.
  17. 1 2 Goldblatt 2008, p. 247.
  18. Goldblatt 2008, p. 246.
  19. Doyle, Paul (24 November 2011). "The forgotten story of ... football, farce and fascism at the 1936 Olympics". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  20. "Controversia – Berlín 36. Un mito derrumbado (The Berlin '36 Controversy. A myth debunked.)" (in Spanish). Larepublica.com.pe. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  21. "Australian Online Soccer Museum". Archived from the original on 3 November 2005. Retrieved 3 November 2006.
  22. "Olympics Define Soccer Eligibility". New York Times . 16 July 1983. p. 20, Section 1. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  23. Harvey, Randy (12 December 1986). "IOC Takes Pro and Con Positions on Pros". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  24. Litsky, Frank (30 March 1986). "I.O.C. EXPECTED TO EASE AMATEUR POLICY". New York Times . p. 9, Section 5. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  25. "Football Tournament of the Olympic Games - Overview". RSSSF . Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  26. "FIFA SETS OLYMPICS AGE LIMIT". Washington Post. 1 March 2024. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  27. "Sports News Briefs; Age Limit is Set For Games Soccer". New York Times . 4 July 1988. p. 34, Section 1. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  28. "Olympic men's football age limit raised to 24 after Tokyo Games postponement". The Guardian. Associated Press. 3 April 2020. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  29. Wallace, Ava (4 April 2020). "FIFA extends men's age limit for the Tokyo Olympics". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  30. Cart, Julie (17 October 1994). "SOCCER / JULIE CART : Liekoski Faces a Difficult Task Getting U.S. Into Medal Round". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  31. Jones, Grahame L. (6 May 1996). "There's No Luck of Draw for U.S. Soccer Teams". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  32. Dove, Ed (17 July 2024). "They shone at the Olympics... but what happened next to these soccer stars?". ESPN.com. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  33. "Uruguay back in Olympic football after 84 years". Deseret News. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  34. Jones, Grahame L. (28 August 2004). "Argentina Looks Unstoppable". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  35. Jones, Grahame L. (24 August 2008). "Argentina wins the gold medal again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  36. Straus, Brian (26 July 2016). "Olympic men's soccer: Neymar, Brazil eye 1st gold". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  37. Ronay, Barney (21 August 2016). "Neymar the shootout hero blasts Brazil to Olympic football gold against Germany". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  38. AZZONI, TALES (21 August 2016). "Neymar's gold-winning penalty goal electrifies Brazil". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  39. Press, The Oakland (20 August 2016). "Neymar kick is gold, giving Brazil 1st Olympic soccer title". The Oakland Press. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  40. "Neymar gives Brazil soccer gold after shootout". ESPN.com. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  41. Chiari, Mike. "Brazil Defeats Spain to Win 2021 Olympic Men's Soccer Gold Medal". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  42. "Italy win Olympics place after Under-21 play-off". Reuters . 9 August 2007. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  43. "The Scottish Football Association". Archived from the original on 9 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
  44. http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/YOUR-VIEWS-Olympic-football-threat.4327759%5B%5D
  45. "Brown pays tribute to GB success". BBC News. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  46. "Nations pave way for 2012 GB team". BBC Sport . 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  47. "London 2012 Olympics: Gareth Bale and non-English players have no 'legal right' to play for Team GB". Daily Telegraph . 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  48. Idessane, Kheredine (29 June 2012). "London 2012: No Scotland or N Ireland in Olympic football squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  49. Kelso, Paul (14 August 2012). "British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt criticises Football Association for lack of support". London: Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  50. "Organising Committee takes important decisions on FIFA Women's World Cup". FIFA.com. FIFA. 1 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  51. "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Home nations agree to GB women's football team". BBC Sport. 1 October 2018. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  52. "Regulations for the Olympic Football Tournaments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  53. "REGULATIONS for the Olympic Football Tournaments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2015.
  54. Fútbol en los Juegos Olímpicos Archived 5 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine by José M. Martín, 8 August 2021
  55. The 1900 and 1904 tournaments are not recognized by FIFA. The competition has been held regularly, except 1932. Since 1992, only the U23 national teams are allowed to participate.
  56. The East German team represented the United Team of Germany in 1964, winning the bronze medal.
  57. When Germany was divided, this flag represented the United Team of Germany in 1956, and the Federal Republic of Germany (i.e., West Germany) in 1952, 1972, 1984 and 1988.
  58. The United States had two teams at the 1904 Games, taking the silver and bronze medals.
  59. Harvey, Randy (19 September 1993). "IOC to Welcome Palestine : Olympics: Two decades after Munich massacre, executive committee recommends membership". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  60. Lewis, Samantha (28 September 2020). "Julie Foudy remembers USWNT's Sydney 2000 Gold Medal match: 'I can't even watch that game again'". ESPN. Retrieved 31 August 2021.

Works cited