Football at the Summer Olympics, referred to as the Olympic Football Tournament, has been included in every Summer Olympic Games as a men's competition sport, except 1896 (the inaugural Games) and 1932 (in an attempt to promote the new FIFA World Cup tournament). Women's football was added to the official program at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
So as to avoid competition with the World Cup, FIFA have restricted participation of elite players in the men's tournament in various ways. Currently squads for the men's tournament are required to be composed of players under 23 years of age, with three permitted exceptions. By comparison, the women's football tournament is a senior-level international tournament, second in prestige only to the FIFA Women's World Cup.
External links[]
- Football news and highlight at Olympics.com
- Men's Olympic Football at FIFA.com
- Women's Olympic Football at FIFA.com
- Football Tournament of the Olympic Games – Overview at the RSSSF
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