2024 Olympic Men’s Football Tournament in Paris: Overview, Group Stage Fixtures, Knockout Stages, Historical Context

Tournament Overview

The men’s football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is set to be a thrilling spectacle, featuring 16 teams from around the globe.

The competition, running from July 24 to August 9, will showcase both emerging talents and established stars in their quest for Olympic glory. Matches will take place across seven cities in France, including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Nantes.

Group Stage Fixtures

The 16 teams are divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stages. The group stage fixtures are as follows:

Group A:

• July 24: Guinea vs. New Zealand (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
• July 24: France vs. USA (Orange Velodrome, Marseille)
• July 27: New Zealand vs. USA (Orange Velodrome, Marseille)
• July 27: France vs. Guinea (Allianz Riviera, Nice)
• July 30: New Zealand vs. France (Orange Velodrome, Marseille)
• July 30: USA vs. Guinea (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne)

Group B:

• July 24: Argentina vs. Morocco (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
• July 24: Iraq vs. Ukraine (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)
• July 27: Argentina vs. Iraq (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)
• July 27: Ukraine vs. Morocco (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne)
• July 30: Ukraine vs. Argentina (Groupama Stadium, Lyon)
• July 30: Morocco vs. Iraq (Allianz Riviera, Nice)

Group C:

• July 24: Uzbekistan vs. Spain (Parc des Princes, Paris)
• July 24: Egypt vs. Dominican Republic (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
• July 27: Dominican Republic vs. Spain (Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux)
• July 27: Egypt vs. Uzbekistan (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
• July 30: Dominican Republic vs. Uzbekistan (Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux)
• July 30: Spain vs. Egypt (Parc des Princes, Paris)

Group D:

• July 24: Japan vs. Paraguay (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
• July 24: Mali vs. Israel (Stade de Nice, Nice)
• July 27: Japan vs. Mali (Stade de Nice, Nice)
• July 27: Paraguay vs. Israel (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
• July 30: Israel vs. Japan (Stade de Nice, Nice)
• July 30: Paraguay vs. Mali (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)

Knockout Stages

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals on August 2, followed by the semifinals on August 6. The tournament will culminate in the gold medal match at the iconic Parc des Princes in Paris on August 9.

Historical Context

The last men’s football tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saw impressive performances.

Brazil secured their second consecutive Olympic gold medal and third overall by defeating Spain 2-1 in the final. Standout players like Matheus Cunha and Richarlison were pivotal in Brazil’s victory.

The 2020 tournament, held in a bubble environment, also saw silver medalists Spain showcasing their strong footballing tradition, while Mexico and Japan rounded out the top four with commendable performances.

As the 2024 tournament approaches, teams will be eager to build on the lessons learned from Tokyo and make their mark in the highly anticipated Paris edition.