The field of 16 teams is down to four as the men’s quarterfinals wrapped up at the 2021 Olympic soccer tournament in Japan.
The usual European and South American heavyweights — Spain, France, Germany, Brazil and Argentina — were the pre-tournament favorites going in, but Spain and Brazil are the only ones from the bunch to advance to the semis after Germany, France and Argentina were eliminated in the group stage.
The Men’s Football Tournament kicked off with a round-robin group stage in which each team played three matches against the others in the group (July 22, July 25 and July 28). Teams collected three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. The top two finishers in each group advanced to the quarterfinals, with the pairings predetermined based on group finish.
MORE: Men’s Olympic soccer top scorers
Olympic group tiebreakers
If teams were even on points, tiebreakers were used one by one until all ties were broken. Here’s the order of tiebreakers as detailed in the official tournament rules:
- Superior goal difference in all group matches
- Most goals scored in all group matches
- Most points obtained in group matches between the teams that are tied
- Superior goal difference in the group matches between the teams that are tied
- Most goals scored in the group matches between the teams that are tied
- Best conduct score based on fewest yellow/red cards in all group matches
- Drawing of lots by FIFA if there are still teams that remain tied
The final group standings, results and knockout round schedule follow below:
Group A standings
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| 1. Japan- X |
9 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
7 |
1 |
+6 |
| 2. Mexico- X |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
8 |
3 |
+5 |
| 3. France |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
5 |
11 |
-6 |
| 4. South Africa |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
8 |
-5 |
X = advances to quarterfinals
Group A schedule
| Date |
Match |
|
| Thu, July 22 |
Mexico 4 , France 1 |
Highlights |
| Thu, July 22 |
Japan 1 , South Africa |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
France 4 , South Africa 3 |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Japan 2 , Mexico 1 |
Highlights |
| Wed, July 28 |
France , Japan 4 |
|
| Wed, July 28 |
South Africa , Mexico 3 |
Highlights |
Group B standings
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| 1. South Korea- X |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
10 |
1 |
+9 |
| 2. New Zealand- X |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
| 3. Romania |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
-3 |
| 4. Honduras |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
3 |
9 |
-6 |
X = advances to quarterfinals
Group B schedule
| Date |
Match |
|
| Thu, July 22 |
New Zealand 1 , South Korea |
Highlights |
| Thu, July 22 |
Honduras , Romania 1 |
Highilghts |
| Sun, July 25 |
New Zealand 2 , Honduras 3 |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Romania , South Korea 4 |
|
| Wed, July 28 |
Romania 0, New Zealand 0 |
|
| Wed, July 28 |
South Korea 6, Honduras 0 |
Highlights |
Group C standings
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| 1. Spain- X |
5 |
3 |
1 |
|
2 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
| 2. Egypt- X |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
| 3. Argentina |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
| 4. Australia |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
2 |
3 |
-1 |
X = advances to quarterfinals
Group C schedule
| Date |
Match |
|
| Thu, July 22 |
Egypt , Spain |
Highlights |
| Thu, July 22 |
Argentina , Australia 2 |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Egypt , Argentina 1 |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Australia , Spain 1 |
Highlights |
| Wed, July 28 |
Spain 1 , Argentina 1 |
Highlights |
| Wed, July 28 |
Australia , Egypt 2 |
|
Group D standings
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| 1. Brazil- X |
7 |
3 |
2 |
|
1 |
7 |
3 |
+4 |
| 2. Ivory Coast- X |
5 |
3 |
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
| 3. Germany |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
-1 |
| 4. Saudi Arabia |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
8 |
-4 |
X = advances to quarterfinals
Group D schedule
| Date |
Match |
|
| Thu, July 22 |
Ivory Coast 2 , Saudi Arabia 1 |
Highlights |
| Thu, July 22 |
Brazil 4 , Germany 2 |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Brazil , Ivory Coast |
Highlights |
| Sun, July 25 |
Saudi Arabia 2 , Germany 3 |
|
| Wed, July 28 |
Saudi Arabia 1 , Brazil 3 |
Highlights |
| Wed, July 28 |
Germany 1 , Ivory Coast 1 |
|
Quarterfinals
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Sat, July 31 |
QF #1: Spain 5, Ivory Coast 2 (a.e.t.) |
|
|
|
| Sat, July 31 |
QF #2: Japan 0, New Zealand 0 (4-2 on PKs) |
|
|
|
| Sat, July 31 |
QF #3: Brazil 1, Egypt 0 |
|
|
|
| Sat, July 31 |
QF #4: South Korea 3, Mexico 6 |
|
|
|
Semifinals
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Tue, Aug. 3 |
Semi #1: Mexico vs. Brazil |
4 a.m. |
NBCSN |
fuboTV |
| Tue, Aug. 3 |
Semi #2: Japan vs. Spain |
7 a.m. |
NBCSN |
fuboTV |
Bronze-medal match
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Fri, Aug. 6 |
Semifinal losers |
7 a.m. |
NBCSN |
fuboTV |
Gold-medal match
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Sat, Aug. 7 |
Semifinal winners |
7:30 a.m. |
NBCSN |
fuboTV |
