The news will come as a disappointment to the English Football Association (FA) as it appears their hopes of fielding teams for the second Olympics in a row have been dashed as the respective Associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland remain opposed to the idea.

"I was given an absolute categorical assurance from FIFA that unless full agreement could be reached, there would be no GB team participating at next year's Olympics," Boyce, the former President of the Irish Football Association, said.

The FA have been the driving force behind the Great Britain teams and they wrote to the rest of the Home Nations earlier this month outlining their plans to enter a side for Rio 2016. 

This caused Football Association of Wales (FAW) President Trefor Lloyd Hughes to say he was "livid" after the FA had previously stated they would not attempt to take a team to next year's Olympics. 

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were concerned about the effect a Great Britain team would have on their independence within world football's governing body.

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs was one of five Welsh players to play for the Team GB men's team at London 2012 ©Getty Images



The FA overcame similar opposition before London 2012.

Welsh players Neil Taylor, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy all ignored pleas from the FAW not to take part in a Team GB men's side and appeared at London 2012 in a team managed by former England international Stuart Pearce.

Indeed, Giggs captained the side, which reached the quarter-final before being knocked out on penalties by South Korea. 

In the women's team, Scotland's Ifeoma Dieke and Kim Little represented Team GB.

They also reached the quarter-final, losing 2-0 to Canada. 

FIFA's ruling seemingly puts paid to any Great Britain team competing at Rio 2016.

Even if the four Home Nations do reach an agreement, England's men's team would have to finish in the top four of the European Under-21 Championship in the Czech Republic this summer to qualify.

The women, meanwhile, would need to be in the top three European teams at the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.

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