The Australian team lines up for their national anthem during the men's preliminary group A match between Australia and Cote d'Ivoire at Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium on Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. © Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

2012 TAKES THE DRAMA OF THE 'WORLD GAME' TO THE HOME OF FOOTBALL

When the 'world game’ graces the Olympic program it delivers all the drama that fans have come to expect from major international tournaments. Add to the mix locations such as Wembley, Old Trafford and Millenium Stadium, to name a few, and the heart rate kicks up a notch. The London Olympic football tournaments promise to excite football fans and athletes like never before with play traversing England, Scotland and Wales.

In men’s football, Hungary has won three gold medals- an Olympic record in the sport- but Argentina are the defending champions having won in 2008 and 2004. Australia’s best result was fourth place at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where Olympic football was first limited to under-23 players. The policy is still in place, with three older players eligible to play for each country.

Australia's Olympic men's football team - the Olyroos - faced a tough qualification process for the London Games, playing in the Asian Confederation Tournament against Iraq, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates. The women played five matches in 11 days against North Korea, Thailand, South Korea, home-side China and 2011 World Cup Champions Japan. Unfortunately neither team was successful in qualifying for the Games.

FOOTBALL FORMAT

The men’s and women’s football competitions begin with a group stage kicking off two days before the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. The teams are divided into groups of four (three groups in the women’s tournament, four groups for the men), and the best eight teams qualify for the quarter-finals. From here, the competition becomes a knockout. The two winning semi-finalists play for the gold medal at Wembley Stadium, with the two losing semi-finalists facing off for the bronze medal.

The men’s competition is an under-23s event, although each country is allowed to include three older players in their team. There are no age restrictions for the women’s competition.

QUALIFIED TEAMS

Men's draw

GROUP A:
Great Britain
Senegal
UAE
Uruguay

GROUP B:
Mexico
South Korea
Gabon
Switzerland

GROUP C:
Brazil
Egypt
Belarus
New Zealand

GROUP D:
Spain
Japan
Honduras
Morocco

Women's draw:

GROUP E:
Great Britain
New Zealand
Cameroon
Brazil

GROUP F:
Japan
Canada
Sweden
South Africa

GROUP G:
United States
France
Colombia
North Korea

For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

Australia entered a men’s football team in Melbourne 1956 but did not compete again until Seoul 1988. Since then, Australia has contested every men’s Olympic football competition. The best result was fourth in Barcelona 1992.

Women’s football was added to the Olympic program in 1996 and Australia began competing in Sydney 2000. Australia placed fifth in Athens 2004 but did not qualify for Beijing 2008.

To read more about Australia’s Olympic football history click here>>>