| Undoubtedly soccer is the world's biggest game. Sure | | | | team managers who do not want them to play in the |
| the World Cup, F.A Cup or UEFA cup may draw more | | | | games. |
| interest but for all the teams competing in this year's | | | | The sixteen qualified nations for the men's event are: |
| Beijing Olympics there will be some very determined | | | | Australia, Japan, Korea Republic, Cameroon, Cote |
| players who want to win that gold medal. | | | | d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, |
| The soccer games of the Beijing Olympic Games will | | | | Honduras, United States of America, New Zealand, |
| be held from August 6-23, 2008 in five cities including | | | | Brazil, Argentina, and the host country of China. |
| the host city of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjin and | | | | The four men's groups are as follows: Group A |
| Qinhuangdao. The finals for men and women will be | | | | includes Cote d'Ivoire, Argentina, Australia and Serbia. |
| held in Beijing where three venues are located: the | | | | Group B includes the Netherlands, Nigeria, Japan and |
| Workers' Stadium, the Olympic Sports Center Stadium | | | | Argentina. Group C includes China, New Zealand, Brazil |
| and the National Stadium. The venues outside Beijing | | | | and Belgium. Group D includes Korea Republic, |
| are: Shanghai Stadium, Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, | | | | Cameroon, and Honduras. |
| Shenyang Olympic Sport Center Stadium, and | | | | The tournament will be organized into group stages |
| Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium. These | | | | until they reach the quarter-final round will result in |
| state of the art stadiums will provide spectators with a | | | | losing teams being knocked out of the competition. All |
| great facility to enjoy the games. | | | | four teams that make the semi finals will determine |
| Football was first introduced in 1900 and 1904 as an | | | | who wins the medals with the fourth team missing out. |
| exhibition sport and became the first team sport | | | | Group stage matches will begin on August 7th with the |
| included in the Olympic Games. Since 1908, the sport | | | | quarter finals on August 16th, the semi finals on August |
| has been held at every Olympic Games with the | | | | 19th, the loser's final on August 22nd and the winner's |
| exception of 1932 in Los Angeles. The European | | | | final to be held on August 23rd. |
| teams dominated the Olympics until 1992, when Spain | | | | The women's tournament consists of 12 teams, four |
| became the last European team to win a gold medal. | | | | more than they had in Athens. Group E consists of |
| Women's football was introduced in 1996 in Atlanta | | | | China, Sweden, Argentina and Canada. Group F |
| where the USA won the gold medal in and then again | | | | includes Korea DPR, Nigeria, Germany, and Brazil. |
| in Athens in 2004. | | | | Group G includes Norway, United States of America, |
| The competition allows for three players over the age | | | | Japan and New Zealand. |
| of 23 to compete. Although a prestigious event, many | | | | Most of the major soccer games will be broadcasted |
| of the world best players will not play due to | | | | by the television networks. However, as usual each |
| contractual obligations with their own professional | | | | country will be likely to choose only those games |
| teams. They also do not want to risk getting an injury | | | | where they have their own national team competing. |
| and often have pressure placed on them by their | | | | |