Football Kicks Off Rio Olympics

Rio 2016 officially gets under way with the opening ceremony

on Friday – but did you know football kicks off the action two

days earlier?

The first group stages of the women’s tournament take place

on Wednesday – so-called day -2 – with Sweden facing South

Africa, while the men’s group stages start on Thursday, when

Iraq play Denmark (both 17:00 BST).

Here’s all you need to know.

Why does football start early at the Olympics?

It’s simply for scheduling reasons, as it was at London 2012.

With 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams, there are 58 matches

to get through. There is football being played on 12 days of

the tournament, with six rest days.

Men’s groups

Group A: Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Denmark

Group B: Sweden, Colombia, Nigeria, Japan

Group C: Fiji, South Korea, Mexico, Germany

Group D: Honduras, Algeria, Portugal, Argentina

Women’s groups

Group E: Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa

Group F: Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Germany

Group G: USA, New Zealand, France, Columbia

Which stars are in action?

Barcelona forward Neymar will captain a Brazil squad aiming

to win its first Olympic gold medal.

The hosts also have Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson in their

squad along with Neymar’s Barca team-mate Rafinha and

Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos.

Meanwhile, Tottenham forward Son Heung-min will represent

South Korea and Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi brings experience

for Nigeria.

Five-time Women’s World Player of the Year Marta competes

in her fourth Olympics for Brazil, while her 38-year-old team-

mate Formiga is going to her sixth Games and is looking to

continue her streak of appearing at every women’s Olympic

football tournament.

The reigning world and Olympic champions USA have seven

gold medal winners in their line-up. Among them is goalkeeper

Hope Solo, who could win a record fourth Olympic title at Rio,

and current world player of the year Carli Lloyd.

Why aren’t Great Britain there?

Team GB fielded men’s and women’s teams at London 2012,

with both sides knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

The English Football Association had hoped to have both

teams in Rio, but they failed to gain support from the other

home nations and FIFA was not willing to accept a Great

Britain team without players from every one of the home

nations.

Qualification is also based on tournament results and while

England’s women would have earned their place by finishing

third at last year’s World Cup, the men’s failure to get past the

group stage of the European Under-21 Championships would

have denied them.

Team GB qualification is based on England’s results because

the English FA is the national governing body on the BOA.

“I’m really disappointed that these next set of players won’t

have that opportunity in Rio,” said former England striker Kelly

Smith, who was part of Team GB’s 18-strong squad at London,

reports the BBC.

“It’s a great experience and you get to play against the best

teams and players from across the world. It’s disheartening

they couldn’t get a side together. The Americans view this as

the ultimate.”

How big is Olympic football?

Even though it was not included in the Olympic programme

until 1996, the women’s competition is often seen as more

prestigious than the men’s, which is age-restricted (only three

men in each squad can be over 23).

For many Brazilians, the men’s football tournament will be the

most important part of the Games – especially on home soil,

where they are looking to win their first ever gold medal in the

sport.

Who are the favourites?

Hosts Brazil are the firm favourites to take the men’s title after

the disappointment of losing in the final at London 2012.

Defending champions Mexico could prove a difficult opponent

again, while Germany also have a strong team.

In the women’s event, the USA won gold in 2012 and the

World Cup last year, while the European trio of France,

Germany and Sweden will also be strong.