Tickets on sale for London 2012 Olympic football test event

By Tom Degun

March 5 – Tickets have gone on sale for the London 2012 Olympic football test event on April 23 at the City of Coventry Stadium (pictured) where a vital match will take place offering the final qualifying place in the men’s Olympic football tournament.

The match, which will kick-off at 7.45pm, already has one confirmed participant with Senegal set to take part after finishing in fourth place in the African qualifying competition.

Senegal’s highly rated captain Stephane Badji (pictured below, right) will be one of the stars on show as he steers the West Africans towards their first ever men’s Olympic football appearance.

Their opponents at the test event will be the fourth-placed team from the Asian qualifying competition which concludes on 29 March 2012.

Australia, Bahrain, Iraq, Japan, Korea Republic, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Uzbekistan are, therefore, all potential opponents for Senegal.

“This will be a great chance for football fans from the region to see exciting young internationals in action in Coventry,” said the events manager at the City of Coventry Stadium Justine Hewitt.

“We hope as many football fans as possible will come along to watch the game in April – a crucial match for both sides as they fight it out for London 2012 qualification.”

The men’s Olympic football tournament will be played between July 25 and August 11 with Team GB set to feature.

The men’s GB team will be managed by Stuart Pearce and is tipped to be led by former England captain David Beckham.

Should they emerge victorious and claim Olympic football gold, it would mark exactly 100 years since Team GB last won the tournament at the Stockholm 1912 Olympics.

They will be joined by teams from Asia (AFC), Egypt, Gabon and Morocco (CAF), two teams from North, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Brazil and Uruguay (CONMEBOL) and Belarus, Spain and Switzerland (UEFA).

“The men’s Olympic football tournament qualification play-off match is an important part of our preparations ahead of the men’s and women’s Olympic football tournament this summer,” said London 2012 director of sport Debbie Jevans.

“We will test our operations alongside pre-existing systems and the match gives spectators the chance to see the final qualification match for the men’s Olympic football competition.”

Tickets are available by calling 0844 338 800 or 0844 277 0700.

They are also available online by clicking here.

They are also available by clicking here.

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734898443labto1734898443ofdlr1734898443owedi1734898443sni@n1734898443uged.1734898443mot1734898443