Yes ! Olympics football is also know as U23 World cup. Football matches at Tokyo olympics will be from 21 July to 7 August. 16 teams will be competing in men's event. 12 teams in women's, but it is not considered as World cup though. Most of the stars we see in senior events were Olympic team members including Messi and Neymar. Matches will be played at 7 stadiums across Japan.
16 teams are divided into 4 groups as given :
Group A
Japan
South Africa
Mexico
France
Group B
New Zealand
Korea
Honduras
Romania
Group C
Egypt
Spain
Argentina
Australia
Group D
Brazil
Germany
Cote D'Ivoire
Saudi Arabia
Football is part of Olympics from 1900. Hungary and Great Britain are most successful in Olympic football with gold 3 medals. Brazil are defending champions and that was their first tittle. They beat Germany in the final. As the tournament was delayed by almost a year, FIFA is considering U24 players in men's event. 3 players can be included in squad above age of 24. VAR will be used in this edition of Olympics for the first time.
Competition consists of 2 stages, group stage and knock out stage. Winners and runners from each group will advance to knock out stage, means 8 teams will compete.
Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia are teams from Asia. Brazil, Argentina will represent South America, while Mexico, Honduras will represent North America. South Africa, Egypt, Cote D'Ivoire. Germany, Spain, Romania, France will represent Europe, and New Zealand fron Oceania.
European teams got qualified through 2019 UEFA U21 Championship. Spain were the champions and Germany were beaten in final 2-1.
AFC U23 Championship hosted by Thailand in January 2020 was qualifying tournament for asian teams. Japan got hosts ticket though. South Korea were champions and Saudi Arabia runners up. Australia got qualified as third placed team. India were not qualified for the tournament.
Africa U23 Cup of Nations was the qualification tournament for African teams. It was hosted by Egypt in November 2019 and they became champions defeating Ivory coast in the final. South Africa became third placed team.
CONMEBOL conducted Pre Olympic tournament in Columbia from 18 Jan to 9 February in 2020. Argentina beat Brazil in final and both teams got qualified. Uruguay were third and Columbia fourth in the tournament.
Group C looks tough.
Football for women was introduced in 1996 Atalanta Olympics. Most successful team is USA with 4 titles and Germany are defending champions.
Group E
Canada
Great Britain
Chile
Japan
Group F
Brazil
China PR
Netherlands
Zambia
Group G
Australia
Sweden
New Zealand
USA
Germany failed to qualify, USA will be a tough Gold medal contender, as they are the current world champions. England, Netherlands and Japan are also good.
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