A total of 10 teams out of 12 across five confederations have made their way to the Summer Olympics hosted in Paris, France from 26th July to 11th August, 2024. Four sides - Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Morocco will battle out to decide the remaining two spots from Africa in April this year. As France is the host of the tournament, Europe got an additional spot. All the other confederations have been given two slots except Oceania having just one representation.
The Women’s Football Tournament at the Olympics is the same as that of the Men’s consisting of two stages - the group stage and then the knockouts. However, senior teams will compete in women’s football at the Olympics unlike the men’s which is a U-23 tournament with three overage players allowed. The 12 teams will be paired into three groups of four. The top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams advance to the quarterfinals. Canada won the Gold at the Olympics 2020, played in 2021, for the first time.
Europe
The inaugural UEFA Women’s Nations League served as the European qualifiers for the Olympics 2024 in addition to winning the trophy, moving away from the previous method. As France has already qualified being the hosts, the next slot went to the Nations League‘s finalists and the team coming third in the tournament.
France
France automatically qualified for the Olympics 2024 as the hosting nation and will be returning to the stage after missing the last edition. This will be the third participation for Les Bleues in the competition after achieving a fourth-place finish in 2012 and ending in the quarterfinal four years later. France also managed to reach the final of the Nations League after coming top in their group and beating Germany in the semi-finals.
Spain
Spain will be making their debut in the Olympics after reaching the final of the 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Nations League. Not only that they became the first winners of the competition. After also winning the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023, this will be the chance for La Roja to secure the Gold and add a third honor in a year. Spain also came up top in their group despite losing a match and then beat Netherlands in the semifinal to book their spot.
Germany
Euro 2022 semifinalists Germany had a losing start to the Nations League campaign but they made a comeback by staying unbeaten in the rest of the group matches, with four wins, including taking revenge over Denmark to finish first in their group. DFB-Frauen lost to France in the semi-final but they did not lose the chance to win the third-place game against Netherlands to qualify for the Olympics. Germany will be making their sixth appearance in the Olympics and the first time since winning the Gold in 2016.
North America
The qualifying teams from the CONCACAF region were based on the winners of the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the play-off victors.
USA
USA continued their trend of qualifying for every edition of the Olympics Women’s Football Tournament since its introduction in 1996 by crowning themselves the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship winners. They beat Canada in the final of the tournament hosted by Mexico. Gold medalists in four of the first five Olympics, the USA have failed to replicate their highs in the last two competitions by settling for the quarterfinals in 2016 and taking the Bronze medal in 2021.
Canada
Gold medalists winners in the last edition, Canada had to come through the CONCACAF playoff after finishing as runners-up in the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship. The Canucks faced Jamaica who finished third in the tournament, beating them 4-1 on aggregate to qualify for their fifth straight Olympics since their debut in 2008. Canada will be hoping to defend their Gold in Paris to recover from a disastrous Women’s World Cup last year.
South America
Brazil
Like the USA, Brazil has also made it to every single Olympics having won the Copa America 2022 to qualify for the 2024 edition. The Seleção won the competition by dominating fashion, losing none and lifting the title without being breached even once. Brazil will be aiming for a productive Olympics having not won the Gold so far and managing back-to-back Silvers in 2004 and 2008. However, they had a forgetful Women’s World Cup in 2023 suffering elimination from the group stage which they will be wanting to replace.
Colombia
Colombia will join Brazil at the Paris Olympics from South America after reaching the final in the Copa America 2022. This will be their third appearance at the Olympics having made the group stages in 2012 and 2016. Colombia also put up a sensational show in the Women’s World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in the tournament. They hope to bring the fireworks with their game and from their immense support this summer.
OFC
New Zealand
New Zealand will represent Oceania at the Olympics for the fifth consecutive time since entering the competition in 2008. The Football Ferns crushed Solomon Islands 11-1 in the final of the OFC qualifiers to make their way to Paris. Also securing their first-ever Women’s World Cup win in a memorable tournament they co-hosted in 2023, New Zealand will be hoping to make progress in the Olympics having made the quarterfinals only once.
Asia
Two slots are reserved for Asia in the Olympics with the teams gaining access via the AFC qualifiers.
Australia
Australia are making their third consecutive and fifth overall appearance in the Olympics. The Matildas had a remarkable qualifying stage by winning all matches starting from Round 2 without conceding a single goal. Even without the injured Sam Kerr, the team registered 26 strikes incredibly in just five games. 10 of those came against Uzbekistan in the second leg of Round 3 at home after defeating them 3-0 away to progress to the main tournament.
Japan
Joining the Matildas from Asia are Japan who were one of the top teams in the Women’s World Cup last year. The Nadeshiko were equally flamboyant, winning every game in Round 2, scoring 11 goals and keeping a clean sheet in each. While North Korea was able to prevent them with a goalless draw in the first leg of Round 3, Japan regathered their scoring streak with a 2-1 win in the return leg at home to go through. As a case, Futoshi Ikeda’s side will be playing their fifth Olympics Women’s Football Tournament in history.
Africa
Like Asia, Africa also has two slots in the Olympics with the team’s participation decided by the CAF qualifying tournament.
Nigeria
Nigeria have made it to their fourth Olympics and the first since 2008. The team began in the second round defeating Ethiopia 5-1 on aggregate after drawing 1-1 in the first leg. Similarly, their away leg against Cameroon also ended in a stalemate with no goals this time but the team made their home a fortress again to claim a 1-0 victory. The same narrative played out in the fourth round against another top side in South Africa with the Super Falcons playing at home first, taking another 1-0 win. Nigeria shut the doors in the return leg to make it enough to book their ticket to Paris.
Zambia
The other team to qualify from Africa is Zambia with hero striker Barbra Banda helping them to another major tournament appearance and into back-to-back Olympics. After a walkover by Mali in the second round, the team started from the third round facing stiff competition from Ghana. Ultimately, the 1-0 away win proved to be the difference maker for Zambia after the second leg ended in a crazy 3-3 draw with Banda’s last-minute stoppage time equaliser helping them progress to the final round. More drama persisted against Morocco after they lost the first leg 2-1 at home but Banda was able to equalise on the aggregate score in the return leg to force extra time where the 24-year-old scored again from the spot to conceal the winner.
