Football starts the Olympics Before the Opening Ceremony in Brazil

The women's football will start on Wednesday 3rd August Sweden versus South Africa then later same day Brazil take on China and the men's football continues the next day Thursday for another game before the opening match finally starts on Saturday in Rio, Brazil....

Here is some schedule for the football events at Rio

For Women
    Wednesday 03 
      * Sweden vs South Africa
      * Brazil vs China
      * Canada vs Australia
      * Zimbabwe vs Germany
      * United States vs New Zealand

For Men
    Thursday 03 
      * Iraq vs Denmark
      * Brazil vs South Africa
      * Sweden vs Colombia
      * Mexico vs Germany
      * Honduras vs Algeria
      * Portugal vs Argentina

It's simply for scheduling reasons, as it was at London 2012.

With 16 men's and 12 women's teams, there are 58 matches to get through. There is football being played on 12 days of the tournament, with six rest days.

Men's groups

Group A: Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Denmark

Group B: Sweden, Colombia, Nigeria, Japan

Group C: Fiji, South Korea, Mexico, Germany

Group D: Honduras, Algeria, Portugal, Argentina

Women's groups

Group E: Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa

Group F: Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Germany

Group G: USA, New Zealand, France, Columbia