Tokyo Olympics Football 2021: Venues, Fixtures, Rules, Teams and Groups

Olympic flame torches kiss during a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay event / IMAGO

The Tokyo Olympic Games are set to begin in the coming days and football will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting competitions in the event.

The Olympics will feature both men’s and women’s international teams and the football tournament will be held between 21^st July and the 7^th of August.

Brazil will begin the competition as the defending champions for the men’s tournament.

After losing the Copa America to Argentina earlier this month it will be interesting to see if the South American giants can make up for it by winning the Olympics.

Venues

The football Olympic games will be held across Kashima, Saitama, Sapporo, Sendai and Yokohama.

Rules

For the first time in its history, VAR will be used at the Olympic Games.

It will be an opportunity for the young players to demonstrate their skills at the highest level as the Olympic football event is only for players who are born either on or after the 1^st of January 1997.

Teams

The teams competing for men’s football this summer are – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, France, Germany, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Spain.

The women’s teams taking part are – Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, USA, and Zambia.

Groups

Men’s

Group A: Japan, South Africa, Mexico, France

Group B: New Zealand, South Korea, Honduras, Romania

Group C: Egypt, Spain, Argentina, Australia

Group D: Brazil, Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, Saudi Arabia

The 16 men's nations taking part at Tokyo 2020 have announced their squads ahead of the Olympic Games, but which Premier League stars are heading for Japan?
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 15, 2021

Women’s

Group E: Canada, Chile, Great Britain, Japan

Group F: Brazil, China, Netherlands, Zambia

Group G: Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, USA

Team GB women's football team will take the knee ahead of kick-off in their games at the Tokyo Olympics.

FA says the squad 'welcomed recent clarification provided by the IOC which now permits athletes to make gestures on the field of play.'
— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) July 15, 2021