A Paris 2024 Olympic Games women's soccer preview

There are 12 teams competing in the Olympic Games, each bringing 18 rostered players plus four alternates. For the first time, those alternates can be called up to a game-day roster to temporarily replace an injured or ill teammate as long as the squad gives at least six hours of notice.

The tourney begins with a round-robin group stage, in which the four teams in the three groups (A, B, and C) will play all teams in their group once. Wins are worth three points and a draw earns one — but no points are awarded for losses.

• At the conclusion of the group stage, the top two teams in each group — plus the two best third-place squads — will advance to the eight-team single-elimination knockout stage.

🇫🇷 No. 2 France: Expectations are sky-high for the host nation to finally win a major international tourney. After their 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) quarter-final exit (also on their home turf) and their UEFA Euro 2022 semifinal run, France has cemented its reputation as a star-studded, ever-improving squad.

• Anchored by captain and defensive legend Wendie Renard and striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, it's hard to imagine a podium without Les Bleues.

🇨🇦 No. 8 CanWNT: Dronegate aside, captain Jessie Fleming faces one of this tourney’s tallest tasks: stepping into recently-retired GOAT international scorer Christine Sinclair’s boots. A disappointing 2023 WWC group-stage exit looms over the reigning Olympic champs, adding redemption to the red and white’s dramatic French menu.

• Thankfully, the squad has only lost three games since that WWC crash out, which friend of The GIST and CanWNT forward Adriana Leon told us boosts the veteran squad’s confidence.

• To become the second team to ever win back-to-back golds, though, Canada will need to evolve from their defensive mindset and score some golazos.

🇨🇴 No. 22 Colombia: Fresh off their impressive 2023 WWC quarter-finals run, scrappy Colombia is the dark horse to watch with their strong, creative offense, bolstered by generational talent Linda Caicedo. The 19-year-old forward causes problems for even the best international defenses, making her a potential Achilles’ heel for squads like Canada and France.

🇳🇿 No. 28 New Zealand: Group A’s true underdog faced another blow yesterday when captain Ali Riley (another friend of The GIST) withdrew from the squad for medical reasons, costing her a fifth Olympic appearance. Now, this largely debutante team must rally to shock the world — and push past the spying.

🇩🇪 No. 4 Germany: After a downright shocking 2023 WWC group stage exit, things have certainly been better for the 2016 Rio gold medalists. In addition to their recently underwhelming results, the Germans are dealing with an ongoing coaching issue — interim boss Horst Hrubesch will leave the squad post-Paris, becoming the second leader to say sayonara to Die Nationalelf in less than a year.

• Adding (literal) injury to insult, star midfielder Lena Oberdorf is out after a major ACL and MCL injury in last week’s UEFA Euro 2025 qualifier. Can Germany rise above these blows to find their groove again?

🇺🇸 No. 5 USWNT: Seven gold medals have been awarded since women’s soccer’s 1996 Olympic debut, and the USWNT have won four of ’em. But the Americans face a tough path back to the top after their disappointing 2020 bronze-medal finish and shocking 2023 WWC Round-of-16 ousting.

• With the arrival of new HC Emma Hayes, a brilliant soccer tactician with a championship legacy, and her refreshed U.S. roster — the youngest USWNT squad since 2008 — the Americans are eyeing a return to glory.

• How will Hayes do it? By harnessing the stacked front line of Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman, and finally sorting out the squad’s midfield debacle.

🇦🇺 No. 12 Australia: Skills aside, half the battle of winning a major tourney is confidence, and the Matildas have proved over the last year that they can thrive, even without still-recovering superstar Sam Kerr. The 2023 WWC semifinalists have been dominating Olympic qualifiers, drawing record-breaking crowds and fueling a Down Under fan-frenzy.

• However, the Aussies must overcome a myriad of recent injuries to win their first-ever soccer medal. Sometimes, it all comes down to timing.

🇿🇲 No. 64 Zambia: Watch out, Group B — Barbra Banda and the Copper Queens are coming. The NWSL Orlando Pride forward is arguably the world’s best striker right now — she’s tied atop the NWSL’s Golden Boot race and has notched 53 goals in 60 caps for Zambia. Plus, she became the first player to score back-to-back hat tricks in Olympic history at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

• It’s important to note, however, that Zambia is currently playing under problematic HC Bruce Mwape, who’s under investigation for sexual assault of a player at the 2023 WWC. Unacceptable.

🇪🇸 No. 1 Spain: La Roja are coming in hot off their 2023 WWC win, having only lost one game in 2024. But, believe it or not, these Games mark Spain’s Olympic debut — and, compared to the WWC format, the Olympic tournament is considerably faster and more condensed, which could trip up the Spaniards.

• Still, with reigning Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Aitana Bonmatí and WWC breakout star Salma Paralluelo, this tourney feels like Spain’s to lose. One catch — no reigning WWC champion has ever gone back-to-back to win Olympic gold.

🇯🇵 No. 7 Japan: The only team to beat Spain at the 2023 WWC? Japan. The Nadeshiko dance around their opponents, a strategy orchestrated by midfielder Yui Hasegawa, but their recent form has been mid: They barely squeaked into the Olympics. Regardless, today’s 11 a.m. ET rematch with Spain will be one of the group stage games to watch.

🇧🇷 No. 9 Brazil: The Queen of Football is hanging up her international crown. Currently sitting just one goal shy of tying the all-time Olympic scoring record, this will be the legendary Marta’s sixth and final Olympics. But beyond personal achievement, Marta wants to lead the transitioning Seleção back to the podium for the first time since taking silver in 2008.

🇳🇬 No. 36 Nigeria: The ultra-fast Super Falcons are back in the Olympics for the first time since 2008 and, this time, the physical, typically defensive squad is bolstered by a generational goal-scorer: forward Asisat Oshoala, the first Nigerian footballer to find the back of the net in three consecutive WWCs.

• An African team has never medaled at the Games, and Nigeria admittedly played very few matches together in 2024, but Oshoala believes this group can defy the odds.

Catch CanWNT’s pivotal opening group stage match against New Zealand at 11 a.m. ET today on CBC, and peep the full group stage schedule to keep tabs on all your favorite teams. Allons-y!

Catch the USWNT’s must-see opening group stage match against Zambia at 3 p.m. ET today on the USA Network, Peacock, or Universo, and peep the full group stage schedule to keep tabs on all your favorite teams. LFG.