Holders Brazil face Germany in Olympics football group stages

ZURICH: Reigning champions Brazil were on Wednesday drawn with 2016 runners-up Germany, the Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia in the Tokyo Olympics men’s football group stages.

Hosts Japan, who last won a medal in the men’s event with a bronze in 1968, will play France, South Africa and Mexico in Group A.

Group C includes Egypt, Spain, Argentina and Australia while Group B has South Korea, New Zealand, Romania and Honduras.

The tournament starts on July 22, a day before the opening ceremony of the Games that were postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the women’s draw record four-time champions the USA will feature against Sweden, Australia and New Zealand.