Olympic women’s final venue switched over heat and pitch concerns
August 6 – The women’s Olympic football final between Sweden and Canada has been shifted to a different venue and different kick-off time because of heat and pitch concerns.
Olympics
Brazil win penalty shoot out against Mexico to qualify for Olympic final
August 3 – A flawless penalty shoot-out was what defending champions Brazil needed in the end to reach the gold medal match of Tokyo 2020 after a grueling and goalless 120 minutes against 2012 nemesis Mexico.
Canadian women shock US to win place in Tokyo Olympic final
August 2 – After two successive bronze medals, Canada defeated the world champions and four-time gold medallists USA 1-0 with a second-half penalty from Jesse Fleming to reach the women’s football final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Men’s Olympics: Egypt hold Spain, Mexico brush off French
July 22 – Olympic football keeps surprising. On the opening day of the men’s tournament Egypt held tournament favourites Spain to a 0-0 draw and Mexico impressed with a commanding 4-1 win against a lethargic France.
Olympics: Sweden shock US women superstars with 3-0 thumping in Tokyo
July 21 – Sweden shocked sky-high tournament favourites United States with two goals from Stina Blackstenius and a header from Lina Hurtig to get the Olympic women’s football tournament under way on Wednesday and dispel any doubts the event would be cancelled at the last-minute, following comments from Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto amid rising Covid-19 cases in the Japanese capital.
South African men’s team quarantined in Tokyo after three test positive
July 20 – Two South Africa footballers have become the first competitors to test positive for coronavirus in the athletes’ village in Tokyo – just days before the start of the Olympic Games.
Germans walk off after Honduran racial abuse in pre-Olympic friendly
July 19 – Germany’s entire Olympic football team walked off the field on Saturday during a behind-closed-doors friendly ahead of the Tokyo Games after one of their players was allegedly racially abused by an opponent.
Tokyo Olympics stadia to be limited to 10,000 capacities; ticket lottery will decide access
June 24 – Football is one of eight sports at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this August that will use a lottery system to decide which ticketholders can attend matches.
Olympic draw offers revenge opportunities for US women and Brazilian men
April 21 – The draw for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer has thrown up group clashes between Brazil and Germany in the men’s tournament while the USA women will get the chance for revenge against Sweden who knocked them out of the 2016 tournament in Rio.
Chile overcome Cameroon to complete Tokyo 2020 women’s Olympic line-up
April 14 – Chile’s women took the final qualifying slot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic tournament after a 0-0 draw was enough to put them through from the inter-continental play-off against Cameroon.
Heartbreak for Korean women as China secure Olympic berth in extra time
April 13 – China shattered South Korea’s dream of a first Women’s Olympic tournament winning the final AFC spot at Tokyo 2020 with a 4-3 aggregate win in a nerve jangling second leg play-off in Suzhou, China.
China win advantage over South Korea in battle for last women’s Olympic slot
April 8 – After waiting to start their Tokyo Olympic knockout qualifier for more than a year, China emerged favourites for the last AFC qualification slot after a 2-1 away over South Korea in Goyang City.
Thomas Bach re-elected to four more years as IOC president
By David Owen
March 11 – A 67-year-old German lawyer called Thomas Bach was re-elected as International Olympic Committee (IOC) president on the first day of a videoconferenced IOC session on Wednesday (March 10).
Mexico and US in same group as Concacaf confirms Men’s Olympic qualifiers for March
February 8 – Concacaf has released the schedule for the eight-team 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying to be played in Guadalajara, Mexico, March 18-30.
Concacaf to hold Men’s Olympic qualifiers in Guadalajara in March
January 15 – Guadalajara in Mexico will host the Concacaf men’s qualifiers for the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. The eight U-23 teams will play March 18-30 to qualify two teams for Japan.