2024 Olympic soccer: Schedule, groups, format, venues - ESPN

With an estimated 4 billion fans worldwide, soccer's global appeal and popularity are undeniable.

It's no wonder the sport will serve as the opening act of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

Matches for the men's and women's Olympic soccer competitions will kick off before the opening ceremony.

Here's everything you need to know about soccer at the Summer Games.

What is the format of soccer at the Olympics?

Men's

The men's bracket features a total of 16 teams, with four groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage.

Group A

France

United States

Guinea

New Zealand

Group B

Argentina

Morocco

Iraq

Ukraine

Group C

Uzbekistan

Spain

Egypt

Dominican Republic

Group D

Japan

Paraguay

Mali

Israel

Women's

The women's side features 12 teams, with three groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group advance, and the two best third-place teams from among the three groups also advance to the knockout stage.

Group A

France

Colombia

Canada

New Zealand

Group B

United States

Zambia

Germany

Australia

Group C

Spain

Japan

Nigeria

Brazil

When will the soccer competition take place at the 2024 Summer Olympics?

The men's bracket will begin its matches July 24, and the women's matches will kick off July 25, the day before the opening ceremony. The men's gold medal game will take place Aug. 9, followed by the women's on Aug. 10.

Men's schedule

*All times ET

Group stage

July 24

Group A

Guinea vs. New Zealand — 11 a.m.

France vs. United States — 3 p.m.

Group B

Argentina vs. Morocco — 9 a.m.

Iraq vs. Ukraine — 1 p.m.

Group C

Uzbekistan vs. Spain — 9 a.m.

Egypt vs. Dominican Republic — 11 a.m.

Group D

Japan vs. Paraguay — 1 p.m.

ET Mali vs. Israel — 3 p.m.

July 27