Paris 2024 Olympic football tournaments draw: preview, teams and how to watch live
It's almost time!
Wednesday 20 March is set to be a day to remember as the hotly-anticipated draw for the men's and women's Paris 2024 football tournaments will take place at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis.
The hosts of the draw have yet to be announced, but viewers can anticipate a who’s who of international football stars in attendance including former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who will coach France's men's Olympic football team at Paris 2024**.**
What is the format of the Paris 2024 Olympic football draw?
A total of 12 women's and 16 men’s teams will compete in the Olympic football tournaments at Paris 2024. The 12 women’s teams will be split into three groups of four, with the 16 men’s teams split into four groups of four. The match schedules for both tournaments will be made available following the draw.
How will teams qualify from the Paris 2024 Olympic football group stages?
In the women’s tournament, the top two from each group and the best two third-placed teams will advance to the knockout phase. In the men’s competition, the top two from each group will reach the knockout phase. From there onwards, the competition follows a classic knockout format until the finals decide the Olympic champions.
Which nations have obtained quotas for the Women's Olympic football tournament at Paris 2024?
- France (Hosts)
- USA (Concacaf W Champions)
- Canada (Concacaf play-off winners)
- Brazil (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)
- Colombia (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)
- New Zealand (OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament winner)
- Spain (UEFA Women's Nations League finalist)
- Japan (AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
- Australia (AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
- Germany (UEFA Women's Nations League third-place play-off winner)
Ten of the 12 teams in the women's competition have already earned quota spots to compete at the Games, with the remaining two reserved for the CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament winners to be contested from 1 to 9 April. Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia will compete for the final remaining places.
The women’s squads at the Olympic Games will consist of senior national teams. Canada are the defending Olympic champions after triumphing at Tokyo 2020. Spain have been in dominant form as the winner of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, securing the country’s first-ever women’s Olympic football quota in the process.
Team USA has the record for the most gold medals, including Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012, however they come into Paris 2024 following a devastating round-of-16 loss to Sweden at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The US women will be looking to win their fifth gold with a new generation of players, led by new head coach Emma Hayes. Germany are also strong contenders having won gold at Rio 2016.
Which nations have obtained quotas for the Men's Olympic football tournament at Paris 2024?
- France (Hosts)
- USA (2022 CONCACAF U20 Championship)
- Dominican Republic (2022 CONCACAF U20 Championship)
- Spain (2023 UEFA U21 Championship)
- Israel (2023 UEFA U21 Championship)
- Ukraine (2023 UEFA U21 Championship)
- Morocco (2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations)
- Egypt (2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations)
- Mali (2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations)
- New Zealand (2023 OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
- Paraguay (2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament)
- Argentina (2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament)
The men’s competition features 16 nations from six confederations with squads made up of mostly under-23 players. Teams can also select three players over the age of 23 in their 18-player squads, which makes for exciting speculation leading into Paris 2024: will Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappé take part? Only time will tell.
Twelve of the 16 teams are already known. Three quotas are reserved for the qualifiers of the AFC U23 Asian Cup, to be contested from 15 April to 3 May, with the final quota reserved for either the fourth-placed team at the AFC U23 Asian Cup, or Guinea, who finished fourth at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations. The two teams will meet for a winner-takes-all play-off.
In a major upset, two-time defending gold medallists Brazil failed to qualify for Paris 2024 following defeat to Argentina, who won consecutive Olympic gold medals at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Hosts France will be looking to win gold for the first time since Los Angeles 1984.
Pots for the Men's Olympic football tournament Paris 2024
Twelve teams, three Asian Cup qualifiers and one intercontinental play-off winner will be put into four pots of four, based on a ranking system according to past performances at the previous five Olympic Games. France will be in Pot 1 as hosts, with the Asian Cup qualifiers placed in pots 1 and 3. The winner of the intercontinental play-off will be in Pot 4.
You can read more about the men's Olympic football ranking system on FIFA.com.
Pots for the Women's Olympic football tournament Paris 2024
The 10 teams and two qualifiers will be put into four pots of three, based on their position in the FIFA Women's World Ranking. France are in Pot 1 as hosts, with the winners of the African Qualifiers in Pot 4.
You can read more about the women's Olympic football ranking system on FIFA.com.
How to watch the draws for the Paris 2024 Olympic football tournaments
The men's and women's draw will take place on Wednesday 20 March in Paris, France**. The event will be broadcast live on FIFA.com.**