OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
2024 Olympics in Paris: why does soccer start before the opening ceremony?
Although the Parade of Nations and official duties take place on Friday, July 26, the first events will already have begun by then.
The countdown to the opening ceremony of Paris 2024 is almost at its end. This Friday, July 26, on the banks of the River Seine, the official start of a new edition of the Olympic Games will be marked. However, the competition in some sports will begin a little earlier.
Which sports begin before the opening ceremony?
On Wednesday, July 24, the first matches in the rugby and football competitions will take place. Here is a rundown of exactly what to expect:
Wednesday, July 24 (all times ET)
Soccer:
Men’s Group C: Uzbekistan vs. Spain: 9 a.m.
Men’s Group B: Argentina vs. Morocco: 9 a.m.
Men’s Group C: Egypt vs. Dominican Republic: 11 a.m.
Men’s Group A: Guinea vs. New Zealand: 11 a.m.
Men’s Group D: Japan vs. Paraguay: 1 p.m.
Men’s Group B: Iraq vs. Ukraine: 1 p.m.
Men’s Group D: Mali vs. Israel: 3 p.m.
Men’s Group A: France vs. USA: 3 p.m.
Rugby sevens:
Men’s Rugby Sevens Pool Play: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Too much soccer to cram into schedule
Since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, football matches have been scheduled two days before the opening ceremony. The reason is simple: the number of matches. Officially, the Paris Olympics take place from July 26 to August 11, which is not enough time for the qualified teams to play all the rounds and have the necessary rest days.
In Paris 2024, the men’s football tournament consists of four groups of four teams, from which eight teams advance to the knockout stage, where the winner will play three matches (quarterfinals, semifinals, and final). Therefore, the two finalist teams will play up to six matches in less than 20 days. In the women’s football tournament, the only difference is that there will be three groups instead of four.