London 2012: Olympic football launched in Coventry

London 2012 Olympic football will be officially launched in Coventry later.

The City of Coventry Stadium will host 12 matches during the games, including the women's bronze medal play-off.

Hope Powell, coach of Britain's women's team, and former Olympic athlete Jonathan Edwards are due to officially launch the event from 14:00 GMT.

The official match ball, The Albert, will also be unveiled by Manchester United's Tom Cleverly and Robert Ashcroft, who named it.

The 43-year-old from Derbyshire was chosen after a competition to name the ball involving more than 12,000 suggestions.

Mr Ashcroft will also be presented with the first official London 2012 Olympic ball.

The City of Coventry Stadium will host the official Olympic test event on 23 April, a qualification match for the last place in the men's competition.

The 32,000-seat home of Championship club Coventry City, usually known as the Ricoh Arena, will be renamed during the Olympics, while advertising logos and signs will also be covered up.

Matches will also be held in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow.

The men's and women's tournaments both start before the Olympics' opening ceremony, making football the first action of the 2012 Games.