Team GB Chef de Mission not giving up hope of men’s Olympic football team

Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England says he has not given up hope of fielding a men’s football team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The Great Britain women’s squad for the upcoming Tokyo Games was announced on Thursday but a men’s team has not featured since their run to the quarter-finals at London 2012.

Fears of dangerous precedents and opposition from some of the home unions has scuppered plans to re-form but England believes the success of the women’s squad could spark officials to revisit the possibility.

England said: “I would absolutely love to take a men’s football team to the Olympic games.

“I think the experiences that the women have had through the home country FAs hopefully will be that positive step and impetus for an open dialogue on men’s teams in the future.”

While the future of the women’s team is more secure it will still require negotiations with the respective unions in order to seal participation for Paris and beyond.

England added: “Obviously the strength now that we can see in women’s football (means) we’d be very disappointed if, in France in Paris in 2024 and on to Los Angeles in 2028, we weren’t fielding competitive teams across all sports but in particular competitive teams in football as well.

“We’ve only concentrated on this particular cycle, and then as soon as this one is over, we’ll be getting across the negotiated table to ensure that all of the good work that’s been done for this particular cycle, we can replicate in 2024 and 2028 as well.