The USWNT’s Olympic path was set on Tuesday — the team will face Germany, Australia and either Zambia or Morocco in this summer’s group stage, playing matches in Marseille and Nice. The tournament will be the first under incoming head coach Emma Hayes, following her debut on the touchline at a pair of friendlies in June.
As expected, with the smaller nature of the Olympics with only 12 teams competing, none of the three groups drawn today present an easy path to the knockout stages.
What is the USWNT’s schedule?
The USWNT will open their tournament against their still-to be determined opponent from Africa (either Zambia or Morocco) at Stade de Nice on Thursday, July 25 at 9 p.m. local (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT). They’ll then shift to Marseille for the next two group stage games at Stade de Marseille, first against Germany on Sunday, July 28 at 9 p.m. local (4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT), then against Australia on Wednesday, July 31 at 7 p.m. local (2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT).
If they finish first in the group, they’d head to Paris for the quarterfinals, but if they finish second they’d stay in Marseille for their first knock-out stage match. (The top two third-place teams will also advance to the quarterfinals, with those matches staged in Lyon and Nantes.)
How was the draw done?
The USWNT, as one of the three top-ranked teams in the tournament despite recently falling to fourth on the FIFA World Rankings for the first time ever, was placed in Pot 1 alongside France (hosts, no. 3) and Spain (no. 1). According to the draw procedures, that guaranteed the U.S. would either be drawn into the first position in Group B or C — and that they would have to face Germany, as they could not be drawn into the same group as either Spain or France to avoid the same confederation.
The USWNT could also not be drawn into the same group as fellow CONCACAF nation Canada, who will face France, Colombia and New Zealand in Group A.
Ten of the 12 teams have qualified for the tournament, with the final two still to be determined via the final set of CAF qualifiers early next month. There will be two-leg playoff matches between Nigeria and South Africa as well as Morocco and Zambia to determine the two remaining teams.
What about the other groups?
Tournament hosts France headline Group A and open the Games in Lyon against Colombia, the same stadium where the USWNT won the 2019 World Cup. Spain, fresh off their 2023 World Cup win, will make their Olympic debut against Japan in Nantes.
This story will be updated following a media availability with interim head coach Twila Kilgore.
(Photo: John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
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