Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics

The football tournaments of the 2012 Summer Olympics will be held at a number of stadia across the United Kingdom, as well as the host city London. The finals will be played at Wembley Stadium. The event will be played Saturday 28 July 28 – Saturday 11 August 2012. 504 footballers are expected to compete for two sets of gold medals. [http://www.london2012.com/sports/olympic/football.php "Football"] , The official site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, "accessed 2 August 2008"]

tadia

* Wembley, London - 90,000 [http://www.london2012.com/venues/football-stadia-uk-wide.php "Venues"] , The official list of stadia to be used at London 2012]
* Old Trafford, Manchester - 76,212
* Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 74,500
* St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne - 52,387 (may be expanded)
* Hampden Park, Glasgow - 52,103
* Villa Park, Birmingham - 42,640 (may be expanded)

United Kingdom teams

On 24 August 2008, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown caused controversy when he suggested that there should be men and women's British football teams at the 2012 games. He said that he had approached Alex Ferguson to manage such a team. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland football associations have opposed any such move in case it affects their status within governing body FIFA. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7579487.stm "Brown pays tribute to GB success"] , BBC Sport, 24 August 2008]

References