Frank Christian
The men’s Olympic soccer tournament in France has entered the knockout stages, with thrilling matches set to take place starting from August 2.
Argentina faced an early upset losing 2-1 to Morocco but managed to secure consecutive victories to set up an exciting quarterfinal clash with France led by Javier Mascherano.
France and Japan emerged with a perfect group-stage record, setting the stage for a showdown with Spain, featuring Euro 2024 champions Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena.
Check out the complete men’s Olympic soccer knockout bracket to track the journey towards Olympic glory.
Knockout Stage Schedule: Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Bronze | Final
Overview of Olympic Men’s Soccer 2024 Knockout Stage: Fixtures and Schedule
Below are the kickoff times listed in local time (CET) for quick reference in different time zones.
For instance, a 3 p.m. CET match translates to 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6.30 p.m. IST / 11 p.m. AEDT.
| Date | Time (CET) | Match | Location |
| Fri, Aug. 2 | 3 p.m. | Morocco 4-0 USA | Parc des Princes (Paris, France) |
| Fri, Aug. 2 | 5 p.m. | Japan vs. Spain | Groupama Stadium (Lyon, France) |
| Fri, Aug. 2 | 7 p.m. | Egypt vs. Paraguay | Orange Velodrome (Marseille, France) |
| Fri, Aug. 2 | 9 p.m. | France vs. Argentina | Matmut Atlantique (Bordeaux, France) |
| Date | Time (CET) | Match | Location |
| Mon, Aug. 5 | 6 p.m. | Egypt/Paraguay vs. France/Argentina | Groupama Stadium (Lyon, France) |
| Mon, Aug. 5 | 9 p.m. | Morocco/USA vs. France/Spain | Orange Velodrome (Marseille, France) |
| Date | Time (CET) | Match | Location |
| Thu, Aug. 8 | 5 p.m. | Loser, SF1 vs. Loser, SF2 | Stade de la Beaujoire (Nantes, France) |
| Date | Time (CET) | Match | Location |
| Fri, Aug. 9 | 6 p.m. | Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2 | Parc des Princes (Paris, France) |
Understanding Men’s Eligibility Rules for Olympic Soccer
For men’s soccer at the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) mandates that only players under 23 can participate, with a maximum of three over-23 players allowed per squad.
In the Paris Olympics, at least 15 players in the final squads must be born on or after January 1, 2001.
Initially introduced in 1984, the rule prohibited World Cup participants from competing, with a slight relaxation in 1992 allowing those with minimal World Cup involvement.
Reasons behind Different Eligibility Rules for Men’s and Women’s Olympic Soccer
The men’s tournament permitting professional players in 1984 raised concerns about overshadowing the World Cup, leading to a compromise restricting certain regions from fielding past World Cup players.
Due to the Olympics’ non-FIFA international window status, clubs aren’t obliged to release players, often resulting in top global stars missing out on Olympic participation.
