Great Britain among top Olympic seeds

Great Britain’s men’s team will avoid Brazil, Spain and Mexico in today’s draw for the Olympic football tournament. The four countries have each been seeded for the 16-team tournament which means they will be kept apart for the group stage of the competition.

Fifa’s Olympic organising committee decided on the seedings, and the draw will also keep apart the European teams and the countries from Latin America.

Britain’s women’s team have also been seeded for that competition, involving 12 countries, along with the United States and Japan. In the men’s tournament, Great Britain will be in Group A and play their matches at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Thursday 26 July, followed by Wembley Stadium on Sunday 29 July and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Wednesday 1 August. Spain are seeded on the basis of being world champions and will play in Glasgow (26 July), St James’ Park Newcastle (29 July) and Manchester (1 August).

Brazil are also seeded and will be in Group C playing in Cardiff (26 July), Manchester (29 July) and Newcastle (1 August). Mexico are seeded as the highest-ranked country outside of Europe and South America, and will be in Group B playing in Newcastle (26 July), Coventry (29 July) and Cardiff (1 August).

The Great Britain women’s team will begin the tournament on Wednesday 25 July at the Millennium Stadium, followed by Saturday 28 July at the same venue and on Tuesday 31 July at Wembley.