Japan will look to continue their impressive start to the Men's Olympic Football Tournament at the Paris 2024 Games when they face Mali in the second round on Saturday.
Having finished fourth in Tokyo 2020 and London 2012, falling agonisingly short of a medal, Japan hope to finally make the podium this time around and they have shown their intent in the opener, hammering a hapless Paraguay 5-0.
Mali, meanwhile, are back in the Olympics for the first time since Athens 2004 and have given themselves a decent chance of making it to the knockout stage.
Here GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Japan U23 vs Mali U23 kick-off time
| Date: | Saturday, July 27, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 8 pm BST |
| Venue: | Matmut Atlantique |
The 2024 Olympics match between Japan U23 and Mali U23 will be played at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux, France.
It will kick off at 8 pm BST on Saturday, July 27, in the United Kingdom (UK).
How to watch Japan U23 vs Mali U23 online - TV channels & live streams
In the UK, the 2024 Olympics match between Japan U23 and Mali U23 will be available to watch and stream online live through discovery+.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sports.
Team news & squads
Japan U23 team news
Japan are without star players at the tournament, including Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo and Liverpool Wataru Endo, both of whom have not been permitted to take part by their respective clubs.
Yu Hirakawa began as a right winger in the 5-0 thrashing of Paraguay last time out but suffered an injury around the half-hour mark. Shota Fujio, who bagged a brace in the same match, could come in the right flank to allow Mao Hosoya to start up front.
Japan U23 possible XI: Kokubo; Sekine, Takai, Kimura, Handa; Fujita, Yamamoto, Mito; Fujio, Hosoya, Hirakawa.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Kokubo, Nozawa |
| Defenders: | Handa, Nishio, Sekine, Kimura, Takai, Ohata |
| Midfielders: | Kawasaki, Yamamoto, Fujita, Araki, Mito |
| Forwards: | Fujio, Saito, Hosoya, Hirakawa, Sato |
Mali U23 team news
The most notable name in Mali's 18-man squad is Wolves midfielder Boubacar Traore, who could be joined in the middle of the pitch by Bordeaux's Issouf Sissokho, while Brahima Diarra, a free agent after leaving Huddersfield Town, is also vying for a start in midfield.
Mahamadou Diarra and Rennes youngster Wilson Samake will form a strike partnership in attack for Badra Diallo's side, who have an interesting style of play where they can play tough but also aim to open up play and get guys moving forward.
Mali Under-23s possible XI: L. Diarra; Doucoure, Cisse, Soumaoro, Soumare; Sissoko, Traore, B. Diarra; Sangare; Diakite, Samake.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | L. Diarra, Coulibaly, H. Diarra |
| Defenders: | Doucoure, Diallo, Tounkara, Cisse, Cisset, Diomande, Diakite |
| Midfielders: | Saco, Traore, Jiddou, Sissokho, B. Diarra, Bah, F. Coulibaly |
| Forwards: | Samake, T. Diarra, Doumbia, D. Diallo, Maiga |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 22/03/2024 | Japan U23 1-3 Mali U23 | International Friendly |