Pan American Games

About Pan American Games

Pan American Games History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held among athletes from nations of the Americas, every four years in the year before the Summer Olympic Games. It is the second oldest continental games in the world. The only Winter Pan American Games were held in 1990. In 2021, the Junior Pan American Games was held for the first time specifically for young athletes. The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) is the governing body of the Pan American Games movement, whose structure and actions are defined by the Olympic Charter.

Football at the Pan American Games has been included in every Pan American Games as a men's competition sport, since the first edition of the multi-sports event in 1951. So as to avoid competition with the World Cup, FIFA have restricted participation of elite players in the men's tournament in various ways. Currently squads for the men's tournament are required to be composed of players under 22 years of age.

The tournament was played in league format from 1951 to 1963, neither final nor bronze medal match hosted. Another format was used in 1971, this time the tournament was played in group format in early stages, but played in league format for final stages. The 1983 tournament saw only 3 teams played in the final group stages, with the first and final time the tournament did not have the fourth place team.

A women's tournament was introduced in 1999.