Great Britain's men's team have been drawn against Uruguay, UAE and Senegal in the Olympic games.
Uruguay, runners-up in the Under-17 World Cup and winners of the Copa America, could include Luis Suarez, Diego Forlan, Edinson Cavani and Sebastian Coates. The two teams will meet at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in the final group game on August 1.
Great Britain will open up their campaign at Old Trafford on July 26 against Senegal, the African nation who only secured their place in the finals on Monday night by beating Oman in a play-off at Coventry's Ricoh Are na. The second game is against the UAE at Wembley on July 29.
Senegal could both potentially call on Newcastle strike duo Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse.
The men's teams are made up of 18-man squads of under-23 players with three over-age players
permitted per squad (born before January 1, 1989).
Tickets to watch the games involving Stuart Pearce's side are currently sold out, though extra tickets for all matches will go on sale in May.
Spain, seeds in Group D, will play Japan in Glasgow (July 26), Honduras at St
James' Park (July 29) and Morocco in Manchester (August 1).
Brazil, seeded as the "all-time top Olympic performer'' despite never winning
the competition, and will be in Group C playing Egypt in Cardiff (July 26),
Belarus in Manchester (July 29) and New Zealand in Newcastle (August 1).
Mexico, seeded as the highest-ranked country outside of Europe and South
America, and will be in Group B playing South Korea in Newcastle (July 26),
Gabon in Coventry (July 29) and Switzerland in Cardiff (August 1).
London 2012 Sebastian Coe said at the draw ceremony: "This is a unique
opportunity for the UK to share in the Olympic Games and to share in the spirit
of the Games and to say at the end of the process that 'I was there'. I am
delighted this football tournament will play such a role in the Games.''
London 2012 chairman Lord Coe was adamant that Pearce would be free to pick his
squad purely on sporting considerations, notwithstanding the obvious appeal of
Beckham to spectators in this country and across the world.
He told BBC Sport: "This is absolutely for Stuart Pearce (to decide). He must
pick the team on merit and whatever team Stuart picks will attract a lot of
attention.''
Asked if it was important that the squad should feature players from all four
home nations, Coe added: "If possible that's important, but again (it must be)
on merit. You don't select your teams on a quota basis, you select on merit.''
Pearce revealed he would be travelling to the United States to see former
England captain David Beckham, now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, but insisted
there were no guarantees of inclusion to anyone - including Beckham.
He told BBC Sport: "(I will pick) solely on merit. It's the only way any
manager picks a squad or a team and I will do exactly the same.
"I will know a bit more when I go to the States to see what form (Beckham) is
in, he's made the shortlist and he has been a great ambassador for this country
and the Olympics, but that's no recommendation that he will get in the squad and
that's fair and square across the board for all players.
"I wouldn't dismiss anyone in the group, with the addition of
three over-age players it can really contribute to a strong side. It will be
tough, it always is, that's tournament football. We'll be looking forward to it
and I'm sure our boys who are representing Great Britain will be looking forward
to a tough tournament, but an enjoyable one."
FIXTURES
Group A
July 26, 5.00pm BST; Old Trafford: United Arab Emirates v Uruguay
July 26, 7.45pm BST; Old Trafford: Great Britain v Senegal
July 29, 5.00pm BST; Wembley: Senegal v Uruguay
July 29: 7.45pm BST; Wembley: Great Britain v United Arab Emirates
August 1, 7.45pm BST; Ricoh Arena: Senegal v United Arab Emirates
August 1, 7.45pm BST; Millennium Stadium: Great Britain v Uruguay
Group B
July 26, 2.30pm BST; St James' Park: Mexico v South Korea
July 26, 5.15pm BST; St James' Park: Gabon v Swizterland
July 29: 2.30pm BST; Ricoh Arena: Mexico v Gabon
July 29, 5.15pm BST; Ricoh Arena: South Korea v Swizterland
August 1, 5.00pm BST; Millennium Stadium: Mexico v Swizterland
August 1, 7.45pm BST; Wembley Stadium: South Korea v Gabon
Group C
July 26, 7.45pm BST; Millennium Stadium: Brazil v Egypt
July 26, 7.45pm BST; Ricoh Arena: Belarus v New Zealand
July 29: 12.00pm BST; Old Trafford: Brazil v Belarus
July 29, 2.45pm BST; Old Trafford: Egypt v New Zealand
August 1, 2.30pm BST; St James' Park: Brazil v New Zealand
August 1, 2.30pm BST; Hampden Park: Egypt v Belarus
Group D
July 26, 12.00pm BST; Hampden Park: Spain v Japan
July 26, 2.45pm BST; Hampden Park: Honduras v Morocco
July 29: 5.00pm BST; St James' Park: Spain v Honduras
July 29, 7.45pm BST; St James' Park: Japan v Morocco
August 1, 5.00pm BST; Old Trafford: Spain v Morocco
August 1, 5.00pm BST; Ricoh Arena: Japan v Honduras
Top two teams go through to the quarter-finals
QUARTER-FINALS
August 4, 12.00pm BST; Old Trafford: Winner of D v Runner-up of C
August 4, 2.30pm BST; Wembley Stadium: Winner of B v Runner-up of A
August 4, 5.00pm BST; St James' Park: Winner of C v Runner-up D
August 4, 7.30pm BST; Millennium Stadium: Winner of A v Runner-up of B
SEMI-FINALS
August 7, 5.00pm BST; Wembley Stadium: Winner of QF 1 v Winner of QF 2
August 7, 7.45pm BST; Old Trafford: Winner of QF 3 v Winner of QF 4
BRONZE MEDAL MATCH
August 10, 7.45pm BST; Millennium Stadium
GOLD MEDAL MATCH
August 11, 3.00pm BST; Wembley Stadium
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