“Olympic tournaments, with the limited amount of rest and travel between matches, present scenarios in which we will be tested mentally and physically, and it’s up to us to navigate those hurdles to get to the top of the podium,” said U.S. interim head coach Twila Kilgore. “Every draw in a world championship tournament is challenging and we have great respect for all three of our group opponents, all of whom have earned their way, or in the case of the African team, will earn their way into this Olympics through tough competition in their own Confederations. With our path and opponents now set, I know the team we bring to Olympics will be excited, highly motivated and prepared to take on everything we encounter in France.”
The USA’s draw pits the Americans against two teams it has faced frequently on the world stage along with one first time opponent in either Zambia or Morocco.
The USA and Germany, who along with Norway are the only nations to have won both a FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Gold Medal, have met five times previously at world championship events but only once prior at the Olympics. That matchup came in the 2004 Olympic semifinals where the USA prevailed 2-1 in extra time behind a goal from 19-year-old Heather O’Reilly.
Drawn in the same group for the second consecutive Olympics, the USA and Australia played twice during the delayed Tokyo Olympics. After a 0-0 draw in the final group stage match, the USA and Matildas squared off again in the bronze medal match, which the USA won 4-3 behind braces from now-retired legends Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe. The USA and Australia were also drawn into the same group at the 2004 Olympics, playing to a 1-1 draw.
Drawn into Group A with host France were Colombia, Canada and New Zealand. Group B will consist of Spain, Japan, Brazil and the other CAF qualifier, which will be either Nigeria or South Africa.
While Morocco and Zambia are still in the midst of qualification, Germany and Australia both secured their spots in Paris 2024 during the February 2024 international window. Australia qualified for its third consecutive Olympics by defeating Uzbekistan 13-0 on aggregate in the Third Round of the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament while Germany, the 2016 Olympic gold medalists, qualified for their first Olympics since their title run in Rio by beating the Netherlands 2-0 in the UEFA Women’s Nations League Third-Place Playoff Match on Feb. 28.
The Olympic Women’s Football Tournament features 12 teams, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarterfinals along with the two best third-place teams. Should the U.S. advance to the second round by winning Group B it would meet the second-place team from Group C in Paris in the quarterfinal If the USA finishes second in the group, it would face the second-place team from Group A in Marseille. A third-place finish could mean a possible meeting with the first-place team from Group A or C.
Just six teams return from the 2021 Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournament in the USA, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with a possible seventh being Zambia if the Copper Queens qualify out of Africa. All three European teams in this Olympic tournament – France, Spain and Germany – did not compete in the delayed 2021 Olympics in Japan. Spain, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup champions, will be participating in its first Olympic women’s soccer tournament. Spain is the only team to qualify thus far which will be making its Olympic debut, but Morocco, which faces Zambia in a two-leg series in April for one of two Olympic berths from Africa, could be a second.
The U.S. Women’s National Team has played 15 matches in France during its history, seven coming in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including the famous 2-1 victory over France in the quarterfinals in Paris at Parc des Princes, and five other matches against France, those coming in 1991, 1995, 2015, 2019 and 2021. The USA also faced Canada and Italy in France in 1995 at the Tournoi International Feminin and played England in France in 1991.
2024 Paris Olympics Groups - Women’s Soccer
Group A (Lyon, Saint-Etienne, Nice):
A1: France
A2: Colombia
A3: Canada
A4: New Zealand
Group B (Marseille, Nice, Saint-Etienne):
B1: USA
B2: CAF 2 (Morocco or Zambia)
B3: Germany
B4: Australia
Group C (Nantes, Bordeaux, Paris):
C1: Spain
C2: Japan
C3: CAF 1 (Nigeria or South Africa)
C4: Brazil
USWNT’S GROUP B OLYMPIC OPPONENT CAPSULES
CAF 2 (JULY 25; NICE; STADE DE NICE; NICE)
Morocco and Zambia will meet in a two-leg playoff during the April international window with the winner qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
MOROCCO
FIFA World Ranking: 58
FIFA Country Code: MAR
Olympic Appearances: 0
Best Olympic Result: N/A – Possible Debut
Record Overall in Olympics: N/A – Possible Debut
Record vs. USA: N/A
Last Meeting vs. USA: N/A
Head Coach: Jorge Vilda (ESP)
Fast Facts: Morocco became the first Arab nation to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup following a remarkable run at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations … Morocco hosted the tournament and defeated three-time defending champions Nigeria on penalty kicks to reach the final where they lost to South Africa 2-1 … At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Morocco became the first Arab nation to win a Women’s World Cup match and advanced to the Round of 16 before losing to France … In October of 2023, former Spain Women’s National Team head coach Jorge Vilda was announced as Morocco’s new head coach … Morocco defeated Tunisia 6-2 on aggregate in February 2024 to reach the final round of CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament
ZAMBIA
FIFA World Ranking: 65
FIFA Country Code: ZAM
Olympic Appearances: 1 (2020)
Best Olympic Result: Group Stage (2020)
Record Overall in Olympics: 0W-1D-2L (GF: 7, GA: 15)
Record vs. USA: N/A
Last Meeting vs. USA: N/A
Head Coach: Florence Nkatya (ZAM)
Fast Facts: Zambia made its Olympic debut at the delayed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which marked its first ever appearance at a world championship event … Zambia also qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and earned its first ever World Cup victory with a 3-1 win over Costa Rica in the final group stage game … Zambia defeated Ghana 4-3 on aggregate in February 2024 to reach the final round of CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament … Forward Racheal Kundananji signed for NWSL expansion club Bay FC in February 2024 for a world record transfer fee having previously played for Real Madrid.
GERMANY (JULY 28; STADE DE MARSEILLE, MARSEILLE)
FIFA World Ranking: 5
FIFA Country Code: GER
2024 Olympic Qualifying: UEFA Women’s Nations League Third Place
Olympic Appearances: 5 (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2016)
Best Olympic Result: Champions (2016)
Record Overall in Olympics: 17W-3D-5L (GF: 49, GA: 21)
Record vs. USA: 5W-7D-23L (GF: 33, GA: 69)
Last Meeting vs. USA: Nov. 13, 2022 (2-1 win for USA in Harrison, N.J.)
Head Coach: Horst Hrubesch (GER)
Championship Honors: Olympic Gold Medalists (2016), 3x Olympic Bronze Medalists (2000, 2004, 2008), 2x Women’s World Cup Champions (2003, 2007), Women’s World Cup Runners-up (1995), 8x European Champions (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
Leading Olympic Qualifying Scorers: Klara Buhl (4 goals), Giulia Gwinn (3 goals), Lea Schuller (3 goals)
Language: German
Fast Facts: After missing out on the 2020 Olympics, Germany qualified for the 2024 games by beating the Netherlands 2-0 in the UEFA Women’s Nations League Third-Place Playoff Match on Feb. 28 … Germany’s last medal at a world championship came at the 2016 Summer Olympics, winning gold … Germany is one of three nations to have won a FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Gold Medal. The USA and Norway are the others … This will be the first time the USA and Germany have ever met in the group stage of the Olympics … The only previous meeting between the teams in an Olympics came in the 2004 semifinals, which the USA won 2-1 in extra time behind a goal from 19-year-old Heather O’Reilly … The last meeting between the USA and Germany at a world championship came in the semifinals of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which the USA won 2-0 on the way to its third World Cup title
AUSTRALIA (JULY 31; STADE DE MARSEILLE, MARSEILLE)
FIFA World Ranking: 12
FIFA Country Code: AUS
2024 Olympic Qualifying: AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament
Olympic Appearances: 4 (2000, 2004, 2016, 2020)
Best Olympic Result: Fourth (2020)
Record Overall in Olympics: 4W-5D-8L (GF: 24, GA: 28)
Record vs. USA: 1W-5D-28L (GF: 31, GA: 109)
Last Meeting vs. USA: Nov. 30, 2021 (1-1 draw in Newcastle, Australia)
Head Coach: Tony Gustavsson (SWE)
Championship Honors: AFC Women’s Asian Cup Champions (2010), AFF Women’s Championship Winners (2008); 3x OFC Women’s Championship Winners (1994, 1998, 2003)
Leading Olympic Qualifying Scorers: Caitlin Foord (5 goals), Sam Kerr (5 goals), Michelle Heyman (5 goals), Mary Fowler (4 goals)
Language: English
Fast Facts: The Matildas qualified for their third consecutive Olympics by defeating Uzbekistan 13-0 on aggregate in the Third Round of the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament … Australia finished fourth at both the Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup … Australia will be without iconic forward Sam Kerr for this Olympics, after Kerr ruptured her ACL in January 2024 playing for her club, Chelsea … The USA and Australia have played three times previously at the Olympics, two of which came at the delayed 2021 Olympics where they played to a 0-0 draw in the third group stage match and met again in the bronze medal match, which the USA won 4-3 … The fourth-place finish in 2021 was Australia’s best result ever at an Olympics … The USA and Australia were also drawn into the same group at the 2004 Olympics, playing to a 1-1 draw.
