Home Sports Olympic soccer draw: USWNT gets Germany, U.S. men with France

Olympic soccer draw: USWNT gets Germany, U.S. men with France

0
Olympic soccer draw: USWNT gets Germany, U.S. men with France

The United States women’s national soccer team will face Australia, Germany and either Morocco or Zambia in Group B at the 2024 Paris Olympics, FIFA confirmed on Wednesday at the tournament draw at the Pulse Building near Paris.

The tournament will mark the Americans’ first competitive games with incoming head coach Emma Hayes at the helm. She takes over the team following its worst finish in World Cup history last year, when the U.S. was eliminated by Sweden in the round of 16.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.)

Tournament play will begin on July 25 for the U.S. in Nice against either Morocco or Zambia, who will compete in a two-leg playoff in April. The Americans have never previously played either team.

The Americans won four of the first five Olympics to feature women’s soccer, but they are in search of their first gold medal since the 2012 London Games. They earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The U.S. recently fell to No. 4 in FIFA’s rankings, its worst position since the rankings launched in 2003. But the Americans were one of three seeded teams for the tournament alongside World Cup champion Spain and host France. England, the No. 2 team in the world, failed to qualify (as Great Britain) for the Olympics.

The U.S. holds a 23-5-7 record against Germany. The two teams have combined to win six of the nine Women’s World Cup titles. They have previously met only once in Olympic play, a 2004 semifinal that the U.S. won 2-1 in extra time behind a goal from Heather O’Reilly.

Australia has defeated the U.S. only once in 34 meetings. The teams played to a scoreless draw in the group stage of the previous Olympics and met again in the bronze-medal game, which the U.S. won 4-3.

Morocco and Zambia each made their World Cup debuts last year. Morocco has never qualified for an Olympic women’s soccer tournament. Zambia made its debut in the tournament in 2021.

Defending Olympic women’s champion Canada will face Colombia, New Zealand and host France in Group A of the women’s tournament. Spain will play in Group C alongside Japan, Brazil and the winner of April’s Nigeria-South Africa playoff.

The men’s Olympic draw also took place on Wednesday, with the U.S. men set to compete at the Olympics this summer for the first time since 2008 after failing to qualify for the previous three editions.

The Americans were drawn in Group A alongside host France, New Zealand and the winner of a playoff between Guinea, the fourth-place team from African qualification, and the fourth-place team from Asian qualifying.

The Olympic men’s soccer tournament is a U-23 competition. Each team is allowed three overage players.