Football at the 2000 Summer Olympics

The formats were the same in 2000 for both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The women had eight teams separated into two four-team groups who played a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the semi-finals and the knock-out phase. The men had 16 teams separated into four four-team groups who played a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the quarter-finals and the knock-out phase.

The women’s field was selected as the top seven teams at the 1999 World Cup (Norway, Brazil, China, Germany, Nigeria, Sweden, and United States), along with host nation Australia. The 16 men’s teams qualified as follows – Australia as the host nation; four teams from the 1992 UEFA Europe Under-21 Championships (Italy, Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia); three teams from an AFC (Asia) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Kuwait, Japan, Korea [South]); two teams from a CONCACAF (North & Central America/Caribbean) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Honduras, United States); two teams from a CONMEBOL (South America) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Brazil, Chile); and four teams from a CAF (Africa) Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Cameroon, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa). South Africa qualified in a two-match play-off against the Oceania qualifier, New Zealand.

The venues were six stadia spread around Australia as follows – Olympic Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales; Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales; Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane, Queensland; Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, South Australia; Bruce Stadium, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; and Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria. The women only played in three stadia – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Bruce Stadium, and Sydney Football Stadium.

In the women’s tournament Norway won the gold medal, defeating the United States, 3-2, in extra-time. Cameroon won the men’s gold medal, defeating Spain in a penalty shoot-out after tying after extra time, 2-2.