New Zealand have qualified for the men’s football tournament, which is restricted to under-23 players, and Waine is eligible for selection.
Ben Waine of Plymouth Argyle may represent New Zealand in the men’s football competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The All Whites defeated Fiji 9-0 in Auckland in September to earn their fourth Olympic berth in five years as members of the Oceania Football Conference.
Waine, 22, is eligible to compete in men’s football at the Olympics, which is limited to under-23 players (those born on or after January 1, 2001).
From July 24 to August 10, matches will be held in Bordeaux, Decines-Charpieu, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, and Saint-Etienne, in addition to Paris, the host city for the Olympics.
New Zealand is among 10 nations to have already booked their places in the 16-team men’s tournament, with the others being France, Israel, Spain, Ukraine, Egypt, Morocco, Mali, the Dominican Republic, and the United States.
Waine will get the chance to add to his 10 senior international appearances for the All Whites later this month when they play two games against European opposition. The Pilgrims’ forward has been included in a 23-strong squad for the doubleheader by head coach Darren Bazeley.
New Zealand will play Greece at the Georgios Kamaras Stadium in Athens on Friday, November 17, and then take on the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Tuesday, November 21.
Bazeley said: “These are another two good games against tough European sides, but tests like this are only going to improve us as a team as we look towards FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying starting next year.
“It is also pleasing to have six players in this squad who will be eligible for next year’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games as we continue to look to build the alignment between our senior and age group sides.”
Tyler Bindon (Reading), Matt Garbett (NAC Breda, Netherlands), Alex Paulsen and Finn Surman (all Wellington Phoenix), Marko Stamenic (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), and Waine are the six players who can be selected for the under-23 team at the Olympics.
Waine made his All Whites debut in last month’s 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Malaga, Spain. Four days later, at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in London, he was used as a second-half substitute in Australia’s 2-0 defeat.
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