The much-anticipated draw for the women’s and men’s football tournaments at the Paris 2024 Olympics is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, 20th March. The draw will take place at the headquarters of Paris 2024 in Saint-Denis, with the presence of various international football stars expected. This includes former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who will be coaching France’s men’s Olympic football team at Paris 2024.
The tournaments will feature a total of 12 women’s and 16 men’s teams. The women’s teams will be divided into three groups of four, while the men’s teams will be split into four groups of four. Following the draw, the match schedules for both tournaments will be released.
In the women’s tournament, the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout phase. On the other hand, the top two teams from each group in the men’s competition will proceed to the knockout phase, with the tournament following a classic knockout format until the finals determine the Olympic champions.
While ten of the 12 teams in the women’s competition have already secured quota spots for the Games, the remaining two spots will be contested by Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia in the CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament from 1st to 9th April.
The women’s squads at the Olympic Games will consist of senior national teams, with Canada being the defending Olympic champions, having triumphed at Tokyo 2020. Spain, the winner of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, has secured their first-ever women’s Olympic football quota.
In the men’s competition, 16 nations from six confederations will compete, with squads mostly comprising under-23 players and the option to select three players over the age of 23 in their 18-player squads. Notably, the absence of two-time defending gold medallists Brazil following their defeat to Argentina is a major upset. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé may also take part, adding to the excitement leading into Paris 2024.
The draw for both tournaments will be held in Paris, France, and broadcast live on FIFA.com. With the event fast approaching, football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the draw and the excitement of the Paris 2024 Olympic football tournaments.