Sports
Olympics 2024 football fixtures: Men and women football fixtures
Nigeria first match in the Olympics 2024 football category is against Brazil on Thursday evening.
“The Paris Olympics football events will take place from July 24 to August 10. Seven stadiums will be used throughout the tournament.
Nice, Bordeaux, and Saint-Etienne will host the group stage matches. The semi-final matches will be held in Lyon and Marseille, while the bronze medal matches will take place in Nantes for the men’s tournament and Lyon for the women’s tournament.
The two finals will be held at the iconic Parc des Princes in Paris, which can accommodate 48,000 fans. The men’s final will take place on August 9, and the women’s final will be on August 10.
The host nation, France, will play their first men’s game of the tournament against the United States on July 24, two days before the opening ceremony.
The women’s tournament will begin the following day, July 25. At Tokyo 2020, Brazil won the gold medal for men, while Canada took the gold medal for women.
Olympics 2024 football fixtures men:
Group A: France, USA, Guinea, New Zealand
Group B: Argentina, Morocco, Iraq, Ukraine
Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic
Group D: Japan, Paraguay, Mali, Israel
Women Olympic tournament groups:
Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
Group B: USA, Zambia, Germany, Australia
Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil
Which Format Will They Use for Olympic Football?
The most popular sport in the world is set to return for its 29th Olympic appearance for men and its eighth for women.
The basic rules of Olympic football mirror those of domestic and international competitions. Two teams of 11 players will compete in a 90-minute match, and the team that scores the most goals will win. Group matches can end in a draw, but knockout games will go into extra time and penalties if needed.
For the men’s tournament, 16 teams are divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
In the women’s tournament, 12 teams are split into three groups. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout stages.
For the men’s teams, only three players in each squad can be over 23 years old, while there are no age restrictions for the women’s teams.
Who Has Won the Most Medals in Olympic Football?
The USA is the most successful nation in Olympic football, having won eight medals, including four golds. Hungary follows with five medals, three of which are gold.
Great Britain has also had significant success in Olympic football, securing three gold medals.
Olympics 2024 football fixtures men schedule
Group stage
Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Group A: France v USA, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 8pm
Group A: Guinea v New Zealand, Stade de Nice, kick-off 4pm
Group B: Argentina v Morocco, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 2pm
Group B: Iraq v Ukraine, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 6pm
Group C: Uzbekistan v Spain, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 2pm
Group C: Egypt v Dominican Republic, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 4pm
Group D: Mali v Israel, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 8pm
Group D: Japan v Paraguay, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 6pm
Saturday July 27
Group A: France v Guinea, Stade de Nice, kick-off 8pm
Group A: New Zealand v USA, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Group B: Argentina v Iraq, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 2pm
Group B: Ukraine v Morocco, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 5pm
Group C: Uzbekistan v Egypt, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 4pm
Group C: Dominican Republic v Spain, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 3pm
Group D: Israel v Paraguay, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 6pm
Group D: Japan v Mali, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 8pm
Tuesday July 30
Group A: New Zealand v France, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Group A: USA v Guinea, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 6pm
Group B: Ukraine v Argentina, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 4pm
Group B: Morocco v Iraq, Stade de Nice, kick-off 4pm
Group C: Dominican Republic v Uzbekistan, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 2pm
Group C: Spain v Egypt, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 2pm
Group D: Israel v Japan, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 8pm
Group D: Paraguay v Mali, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 8pm
Quarter-finals
Friday August 2
Match 25: 1A v 2B, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 8pm
Match 26: 1B v 2A, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 2pm
Match 27: 1C v 2D, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Match 28: 1D v 2C, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 4pm
Semi-finals
Monday August 5
Match 29: Winner Match 25 v Winner Match 27, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 8pm
Match 30: Winner Match 26 v Winner Match 28, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 5pm
Bronze medal match
Thursday August 8
Match 31: Loser Match 29 v Loser Match 30, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 4pm
Gold medal match
Friday August 9
Match 32: Winner Match 29 v Winner Match 30, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 5pm
Women Olympic Football fixture schedule
Group stage
Thursday July 25
Group A: France v Colombia, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 8pm
Group A: Canada v New Zealand, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 4pm
Group B: USA v Zambia, Stade de Nice, kick-off 8pm
Group B: Germany v Australia, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Group C: Spain v Japan, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 4pm
Group C: Nigeria v Brazil, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 6pm
Sunday July 28
Group A: France v Canada, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 8pm
Group A: New Zealand v Colombia, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 4pm
Group B: USA v Germany, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 8pm
Group B: Australia v Zambia, Stade de Nice, kick-off 6pm
Group C: Spain v Nigeria, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 6pm
Group C: Brazil v Japan, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 4pm
Wednesday July 31
Group A: New Zealand v France, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 8pm
Group A: Colombia v Canada, Stade de Nice, kick-off 8pm
Group B: Australia v USA, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Group B: Zambia v Germany, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, kick-off 6pm
Group C: Brazil v Spain, Stade de Bordeaux, kick-off 4pm
Group C: Japan v Nigeria, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 4pm
Olympics 2024 football fixtures for Quarter-finals
Saturday August 3
Match 19: 1A v 3B/C, Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, kick-off 8pm
Match 20: 1B v 2C, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 2pm
Match 21: 1C v 3A/B, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 4pm
Match 22: 2A v 2B, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 6pm
Olympics 2024 football fixtures Semi-finals
Tuesday August 6
Match 23: Match 19 Winner v Match 21 Winner, Stade de Marseille, kick-off 8pm
Match 24: Match 20 Winner v Match 22 Winner, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 5pm
Bronze medal match
Friday August 9
Match 25: Match 23 Loser v Match 24 Loser, Stade de Lyon, kick-off 2pm
Gold medal match
Saturday August 10
Match 26: Match 23 Winner v Match 24 Winner, Parc des Princes, Paris, kick-off 4pm
Nigeria squad
Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie , Tochukwu Oluehi, Morufa Ademola
Defenders: Osinachi Ohale, Oluwatosin Demehin, Michelle Alozie , Nicole Payne, Chidinma Okeke, Jumoke Alani
Midfielders: Deborah Abiodun, Christy Ucheibe , Jennifer Echegini , Toni Payne, Rasheedat Ajibade, Regina Otu
Forwards: Esther Okoronkwo, Asisat Oshoala, Uchenna Kanu, Chiwendu Ihezuo, Chinonyerem Macleans, Ifeoma Onimonu, Gift Monday
Manager – Randy Waldrum
Sports
Woman wins civil rape case against Conor McGregor
A woman who accused Conor McGregor of raping her has won her claim against him for damages in a civil case.
A jury found that the Irish mixed martial arts fighter assaulted Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel in December 2018.
He has been ordered to pay her more than €248,000 (£206,000) in damages.
Speaking outside the court on Friday, Ms Hand said her story was “a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be to speak up, you have a voice”.
In a post on X on Friday evening, McGregor said he would appeal against the verdict and he thanked “all my support worldwide”.
“I am with my family now, focused on my future” he added.
Nikita Hand said she was “overwhelmed” by support after taking the case against McGregor
The jury at the High Court in Dublin had been deliberating for a day before returning its verdict that McGregor did assault Ms Hand.
She had also taken a case against another man, James Lawrence, 35, of Rafter’s Road, Drimnagh in Dublin.
She alleged that he assaulted her by having sex with her without her consent in the Beacon Hotel.
The jury found that he did not assault her.
‘Justice will be served’
Ms Hand told reporters said she was “overwhelmed and touched” by the support she had received.
She added: “I want to show [my daughter] Freya and every other young girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and that justice will be served.”
Both men had denied the claims by the 35-year-old hair colourist and said they separately had consensual sex with Ms Hand at the hotel almost six years ago.
After eight days of evidence and three days listening to closing speeches and the judge’s comments, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating before returning with its verdict.
McGregor shook his head after the jury read out that Ms Hand had won her case against him.
He was accompanied by his partner Dee Devlin, his parents, his sister and his brother-in-law.
He sat in the back row of the court, between his partner and mother Margaret.
Ms Hand cried and was hugged by her partner and supporters.
The jury had previously heard that on the day of the attack Ms Hand and her colleague Danielle Kealy went to the hotel’s penthouse suite with McGregor and Mr Lawrence after their work Christmas party.
They gave evidence of how they had been partying all night from 8 December into the morning of 9 December and had been heavily drinking and taking cocaine.
‘Placed in a chokehold’
Ms Hand, a mother-of-one, told the court how McGregor had pinned her to a bed before assaulting her.
She was left with extensive bruises and abrasions over her body, including on her hands and wrists.
There was a bloodied scratch on her breast and tenderness on her neck after she said she was placed in a “chokehold” by McGregor.
He denied causing the bruising, saying it could have happened after she “swan dived” into the bath in the hotel room.
Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin the next day where she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit.
A paramedic who examined Ms Hand told the court that she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time.
The jury had been told how Ms Hand had to leave her job as a hairdresser and has not been able to work since due to her mental health, that her relationship with her partner ended months after the incident, that she had to move out of her home in Drimnagh and that her mortgage was now in arrears.
She also said she had to stop seeing a counsellor because she could no longer afford to pay for the sessions.
The court heard that she had spent more than €4,000 (£3,326) on GP, pharmacy and psychotherapy costs.
Credit: BBC
Sports
Manchester City lose major premier league vote
The Premier League have approved changes to Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules after a crunch summit.
On Friday morning, top-flight sides gathered in London before voting in a ballot over the Premier League rules.
The competition had been forced to act after an independent panel found sections of the existing rules on associated party transactions (APTs) – deals between clubs and parties linked to their owners – to be unlawful after a legal challenge from City.
However, the champions called on clubs to vote against the amendments, accused the Premier League of rushing its consultation and raised the prospect of further legal action should they be enforced.
Yet the Premier League champions were dealt a blow after the English top-flight voted to approve the changes to ATP rules.
More shortly…
Sports
Boxing world split as 58-yr-old Tyson goes back to ring 19yrs after retirement
Nearly 40 years after his professional debut, and 19 years after retiring, 58-year-old Mike Tyson will return to the ring on Friday in a Netflix-backed bout that has stirred widespread condemnation in the boxing world.
Tyson, who dominated the heavyweight division in the late 1980s, will lace up the gloves once more to face YouTuber Jake Paul, 27, in an officially sanctioned fight at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
The bout, set for eight two-minute rounds, was initially scheduled for July but was postponed in May when Tyson required medical treatment after vomiting blood on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles due to a bleeding ulcer.
The incident has fuelled criticism of Friday’s fight, with many condemning it as a macabre spectacle that poses undue risk for Tyson, who last appeared in a professional ring in 2005, ending in a technical knockout loss after quitting on his stool against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride.
‘It Shouldn’t Be Happening’
“Mike Tyson retired from boxing 20 years ago and was already worn out,” British promoter Eddie Hearn said this week.
“If anyone thinks Mike Tyson should be in a ring at this age, you either have absolutely no concern for him, or you’re being reckless. This shouldn’t be happening.” Punch
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