Football at the 2024 Olympic Games, will get underway even before the Olympic torch is officially ignited and will run throughout the duration. In fact, the first ball is to be kicked on ‘Day minus 2’. Seven venues across France will host the football matches, with the eagerly anticipated gold medal match to be contested at the Parc De Princes in Paris.
The Groups
Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
Group B: USA, Zambia, Germany, Australia
Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil
Group A Preview
Host nation France will hope the energy of a passionate Parisian crowd can inspire them to their first ever win of a major prize. Le Bleus are arguably the biggest nation in women’s football to have never been World, European or Olympic champions. The French have a remarkable record in home internationals, with June’s defeat to England, their first since 2019.
A mixture of youth and experience is key in tournament football, something that France can certainly boast ahead of a home Games. Led by the likes of veteran captain Wendie Renard and midfielder Amandine Henry, alongside the playmakers vision of Sandie Toletti and frightening pace of Delphine Cascarino, France are a well equipped side heading into a big few months. Herve Renard’s side are a rough diamond with bags of potential ready to unleash this summer and what better a time is there to show it.
Reigning Olympic champions Canada will begin their gold medal defence in a challenging looking Group A. Led by County Durham born boss Bev Priestman, Canada built their victorious campaign in Tokyo from the back, producing an outstanding defensive display throughout the tournament in 2021, and established themselves as the queens of the penalty shootout in the process. Priestman will hope her side can summon similar mental strength and resilience this time around.
Colombia are a growing force in World football, seeming to unveil new stars every time we see them on the big stage. Their potential was fulfilled at last years World Cup, where they reached the quarter finals and caused some big upsets along the way. Ever since then, their big stars including Mayra Ramires and Linda Caicedo have made big leaps in domestic European football.
In their previous two Olympic appearances, Colombia failed to get out of the group, but it’s fair to say Colombia are a very different proposition in 2024, although they do have to contend with a fiercely competitive group.
New Zealand complete the group, fresh from co-hosting last years memorable women’s World Cup. Despite an impressive win over Norway, the Football Ferns were eliminated in the group stage and will be hoping to right those wrongs on European soil this summer. Their best Olympic performance came at London 2012 where they reached the quarter finals, a feat that current head coach Jitka Klimková would love to repeat.
Group B Preview
The Paris games will be the first major tournament in the reign of Emma Hayes, for Four time Olympic football gold medalists. USA. The US women’s national team will be looking to rediscover the kind of dominance that saw them win three Olympic Games in a row in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Despite a laiden trophy cabinet, in recent years the USA have shown vulnerability and will be looking to bounce back from their relative disappointment following their last 16 exit in last years World Cup.
A successful campaign in Paris would be the perfect beginning to the new era of the US women’s national team.
Germany secured a spot at the Olympics by finishing third in the UEFA nations league. Their victory over the Netherlands in the third place match was a much needed morale booster for ‘DFB Frauen’ after their unprecedented group stage exit at the World Cup. They will be led by interim head coach Horst Hrubesch at Paris 2024, but the squad will be keen to impress Christian Wuck, who will watching on with interest as he prepares to take over as their new permanent head coach at the conclusion of the games.
Germany are the second most successful nation in women’s Olympic football behind the USA, having already claimed three bronze medals as well as gold at Rio 2016, crowned by a memorable victory over Sweden at the famous Maracana.
Not only does Group B pair women’s footballs two most successful Olympic nations in Germany and USA, it also throws up another giant of the women’s game in Australia. The Matilda’s will contest their fourth Olympic campaign in Paris, with their previous best result a fourth placed finish in Tokyo. It is the second games in a row that has seen Australia drawn in the group nicknamed “the group of death”.
Tony Gustavsson’s team will be desperate to claim a spot on the podium this summer, having also finished in an agonising fourth spot at their home World Cup in 2023. Hopes are high, although they will sadly be without all time record scorer Sam Kerr due to injury, who scored six goals across the campaign in Tokyo. Opportunity knocks for the rest of the Aussie squad, not only to progress through the group, but also to eliminate a potential medal rival in the process in this blood bath of a group.
Zambia round off Group B, as they prepare for their second appearance at an Olympic Games. The Copper Queens enjoyed a memorable campaign in Tokyo and were dubbed the entertainers by many at their debut games. This label owes largely to the goal scoring exploits of talismanic centre forward Barbara Banda, who scored back to back hat tricks in a 10-3 loss to the Dutch, followed by a 4-4 draw with China. Zambia have made enormous strides in recent years, having made their World Cup debut last year, where they won their first ever match at a global tournament against Costa Rica.
Bruce Mwape’s side have been handed the unenviable challenge of progressing from the toughest of groups at Paris 2024, but if we have learnt anything about Zambia, they will approach the campaign fearlessly once again.
Group C Preview
Group C certainly catches the eye, not least because it contains the reigning world champions. Spain will surely enter the tournament as one of the favourites, after lifting the World Cup last year and following it up with victory in the UEFA nations league final, a prize that confirmed their place at the Paris Olympic Games.
Despite a tumultuous year off the pitch, on it, Spain haven’t looked back and appear to be going from strength to strength as the worlds number one ranked side. This will be ‘La Rojas’ first ever Olympic appearance, so will therefore be looking to add a gold medal to their ever growing list of honours. Montserrat Tome’s side have taken the possession game to a whole new level in recent years and shown they can pass any nation out of a game on their day.
Any side will fear Spain, led by the likes of Ballon D’or winner Aitana Bonmati, goal machine Salma Parraluello and richly experienced Jennifer Hermoso, to name just a few. However, with the Olympic line up so incredibly strong, all routes to the final are sure to be extremely tough.
Former world champions and Olympic silver medalists from London 2012, Japan are also in this group. Hopes are high amongst the Japanese, after an hugely successful World Cup in 2023, which saw them reach the quarter finals, and demolish eventual winners Spain 4-0 on route. They didn’t concede a single goal in the group stage and they could be forgiven for believing they have Spains number as they prepare to meet at the games. Long time skipper Saki Kumagai recently reached 150 caps and she knows more than most, having watched Canada three years ago in Tokyo, that water tight defences can be key in determining the destination of Olympic medals.
Brazil will be hoping to climb to the top step of the podium in Paris, having twice claimed Olympic silver back in 2004 and in 2008. They are ever presents in the Olympic Games, featuring in every single tournament since women’s football was inaugurated into the Olympic programme in 1996. The golden generation in the noughties for Brazil also finished as runners up in the 2007 World Cup, with current head coach Arthur Elias hoping to finally claim the big prize with his latest group of talented Brazilian’s.
Paris 2024 could be a tournament of celebration for Brazil, as it is likely to be the final major tournament in the career of national record scorer and all round Brazilian legend Marta. The popular stalwart announced that she will retire from international football at the end of the year, having made her debut all the way back in 2002. One of many career highlights for Marta was when she became the first footballer to score at five consecutive Olympic Games when she netted at Tokyo 2020. This is the first stepping stone on the path to their home World Cup in 2027 for Brazil, so preparations will be starting in Paris for ‘As Canarinhas’.
Nigeria are a team on an upward trajectory, after they won the hearts of many following their performance at the World Cup last year. The eleven times African champions defied expectations and fought their way out of a very challenging group, which included a famous win over the hosts Australia. They were ultimately eliminated by England, in a tense and agonising penalty shootout, but the tournament gave the impression of a major breakthrough for Randy Waldrum’s super falcons.
Paris will be Nigeria’s fourth Olympic appearance, with their best result a run to the quarter finals in Athens. They tend to feed off the title as underdogs, but as they showed last year, Nigeria are a match for the very best teams on their day.
The football tournament is one in a very long line of eagerly anticipated events when the Olympic express rolls into France in July. The festival of sport will have something for everyone to enjoy, with the female footballers beginning their campaign from the 25th July 2024.
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