Football at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament


The men's football tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics was held in Rio de Janeiro and five other cities in Brazil from 4 to 20 August. It was the 26th edition of the men's Olympic football tournament. Together with the women's competition, the 2016 Summer Olympics football tournament was held in six cities in Brazil, including Olympic host city Rio de Janeiro, which hosted the final at the Maracanã Stadium. Teams participating in the men's competition were restricted to under-23 players with a maximum of three overage players allowed.
In March 2016, it was agreed that the competition would be part of IFAB's trial to allow a fourth substitute to be made during extra time.
Brazil captured their first gold medal after defeating Germany on penalties. Nigeria won the bronze medal by beating Honduras 3–2.

Competition schedule

The match schedule of the men's tournament was unveiled on 10 November 2015.
GGroup stage¼Quarter-finals½Semi-finalsBBronze medal matchFGold medal match

Qualification

In addition to host nation Brazil, 15 men's national teams qualified from six separate continental confederations. FIFA ratified the distribution of spots at the Executive Committee meeting in March 2014.
On 2 May 2016, FIFA released the list of match referees that would officiate at the Olympics.

Venues

The tournament was held in seven venues across six cities:
The men's tournament was an under-23 international tournament, with a maximum of three overage players allowed. Each team had to submit a squad of 18 players, two of whom had to be goalkeepers. Each team might also have a list of four alternate players, who might replace any player in the squad in case of injury during the tournament.

Draw

The draw for the tournament was held on 14 April 2016, 10:30 BRT, at the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro. The 16 teams in the men's tournament were drawn into four groups of four teams. The teams were seeded into four pots based on their performances in the five previous Olympics, plus bonus points awarded to the six confederation qualifying champions. The hosts Brazil were automatically assigned into position A1. No groups can contain more than one team from the same confederation.
Pot 1Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4

    • Group stage

    The top two teams of each group advanced to the quarter-finals. The rankings of teams in each group were determined as follows:
    1. points obtained in all group matches;
    2. goal difference in all group matches;
    3. number of goals scored in all group matches;
    If two or more teams were equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings were determined as follows:
    2. points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
    3. goal difference in the group matches between the teams concerned;
    4. number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
    5. drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee.

      Group A

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    Group B

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    Group C

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    Group D

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    Knockout stage

    In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time is played and followed, if necessary, by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.
    On 18 March 2016, the FIFA Executive Committee agreed that the competition would be part of the International Football Association Board's trial to allow a fourth substitute to be made during extra time.

    Quarter-finals

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    Semi-finals

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    Bronze medal match

    Gold medal match

    Goalscorers

    ;6 goals
    ;4 goals
    ;3 goals
    ;2 goals
    ;1 goal
    ;Own goals