The line-up for the group stage of the global competition, which will be staged in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao from 6 to 23 August, threw up pairings that are interesting and exciting in equal measure.

On the men's side hosts China, who will appear in only their second Olympic Football Tournament, will play group matches in Shenyang against New Zealand, Belgium and Brazil, who are eager to win their first Olympic gold medal. Defending champions Argentina will have to go through Australia, and a pair of first-timers, Cote d'Ivoire and Serbia. In Group B, former champions Nigeria lock horns with the Netherlands, Japan and USA. Group D features two former gold winners, Italy and Cameroon, with both Korea Republic and Honduras more than capable of causing an upset.

Men's Draw results
Group A (Shanghai): Cote d'Ivoire, Argentina, Australia, Serbia
Group B (Tianjin): Netherlands, Nigeria, Japan, USA
Group C (Shenyang): China, New Zealand, Brazil, Belgium
Group D (Qinhuangdao): Korea Republic, Cameroon, Honduras, Italy

On the women's side of things, China were grouped with Sweden and Canada, who knocked them out in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003, while defending champions USA have been drawn together with 2000 Olympic champions Norway, alongside emerging Asian powers Japan and New Zealand. Two-time world champions Germany will not have it easy, either, with Korea DPR and Brazil set to test them.

Women's Draw results
Group E (Tianjin): China, Sweden, Argentina, Canada
Group F (Shenyang): Korea DPR, Nigeria, Germany, Brazil
Group G (Qianhuangdao): Norway, USA, Japan, New Zealand