The British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced that Team GB is to field both men's and women's football teams at next summer's London Olympic Games.

It will be the first time in more than half a century that Great Britain has entered the football competition and follows an agreement between the BOA and the Football Association (FA). Although the FA is English football's national governing body, it is the designated national governing body for football within Britain's national Olympic committee and represents all four Home Nation associations

Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish national governing bodies have been consulted in order to draw up player selection criteria and timelines for the event. A manager for both Team GB sides will be announced in due course, with the men's team to feature 18 players - 15 of which will be aged under 23 years old.

The women's team will comprise 18 players with no age restrictions, and player evaluation and selection processes are due to commence in autumn with the composition of a long list. Those players long listed will be contacted to gauge availability and interest following talks with their respective professional clubs and national associations.

BOA chief executive and Team GB chef de mission Andy Hunt said: "Seeing Team GB take to the pitch in 2012 will be one of the defining moments of the London Olympic Games. "We are honoured to be working in close partnership with The FA, on behalf of all four football associations, to fulfil this historic opportunity."