Get up to speed: 32 men’s games and 26 women’s games in total over 18 days across France will decide which countries bag gold, silver, and bronze medals.
Even though the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony isn’t until tonight, with Aya Nakamura, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga now confirmed as performers, the football actually started on Wednesday. A century after the French capital last hosted the summer games, eight first-round men’s group stage games and six women’s matches have already taken place. Overall, 32 men’s games and 26 women’s games mean over 5220 extra minutes of international football – totally in line with the official ‘Games Wide Open’ slogan – alongside your club’s pre-season tour to whet your appetite for the 2024/25 season ahead. Get a load of the Olympics mascot too: an anthropomorphised red Phryge hat (which looks like a giant dismembered tongue) that prowls the sidelines.
More football every four years is wonderful news for anyone who loves the sport and the Olympics, but is player welfare compromised? The impact of a heavy workload on each 18-player squad (with four reserves) is limited on the men’s side given very few players will have played in Euro 2024 or Copa América as well. As the Olympics is one of the most prestigious women’s tournaments, countries are fielding full strength teams who are likely to be appearing in their third or fourth major tournament in as many summers.
Defending men’s champions Brazil didn't make the cut but French football legend Thierry Henry is there managing hosts France, and cult hero Javier Mascherano is coaching Argentina. There have been a few standout scores already: Japan thrashed Paraguay 5-0, France 3 - 0 USA, and Morocco stunned Mascherano's side 2-1 when play resumed after a pitch invasion. Emma Hayes’s new look USWNT is up and running with a 3-0 win over Zambia. Spain's women's team beat Japan 2-1 and even though Canadian backroom staff were sent home for spying on their first opponents New Zealand via drone, the defending women’s Olympic champions won the game 2-1.
Here’s everything you should know.
Who qualified?
The 16 teams competing for men’s gold are:
Group A: France, Guinea, New Zealand, and USA
Group B: Argentina, Iraq, Morocco, and Ukraine
Group C: Dominican Republic, Egypt, Spain, and Uzbekistan
Group D: Israel, Japan, Mali, and Paraguay
Note that there is no Team GB, or Brazil who were on course for a 3-peat after winning gold in 2016 and 2020 as well, or 2012 gold medallists Mexico.
The 12 teams competing for women’s gold are:
Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
Group B: USA, Zambia, Germany, Australia
Group C: Spain, Japan, Nigeria, Brazil
Again, no Team GB still feels shocking given the team would have largely been Lionesses who won the 2022 Women’s Euros. Since 2004, the USWNT has won three golds, while Germany and Canada have won one apiece.
The top two teams in each group plus the two best third placed teams will reach the knockout stages: the quarterfinals, semifinals and then the medal matches – third place and the final.
There are no regulations or format changes – men’s teams can only field three players over 23 years old while women’s teams have no age restrictions. France are favourites for the men’s title, according to the bookies, followed by Spain then Argentina. On the women’s side, USWNT lead the odds followed by 2023 Women’s World Champions Spain, and hosts France.
Where will the matches be?
Outside of Paris largely, swerving the Seine river scandal (apparently it may still be too polluted to swim in) and various Olympic worker strikes. Both finals will be held at Paris Saint-German’s stadium Parc des Princes.
The other venues are Stade de Marseille, Stade de Lyon, Stade de Bordeaux, Stade de Geoffroy-Guichard, Stade de Nice, and Stade de la Beaujoire. SoccerBible's Residence and Framed series give a real sense of the match settings and possible atmosphere.
Want to watch or listen?
There are still tickets available to be there in person. Discovery+ has the TV rights until 2032, although certain events can be viewed for free on the BBC. talkSPORT has unlimited radio coverage and, if you’re based in London, Baller FC have planned at least one inclusive watch party for the women’s group stages.
Players to keep an eye on.
Consider this a great opportunity to get acquainted with some of the brightest young male global talent released from pre-season and admire a few ageing heroes. There's no Kylian Mbappé, but Bayern Munich-bound Michael Olise has already scored a banger for France, in the same game ex-Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette also scored in, and Fermin Lopez is poised to shine for Spain.
Without the Lionesses, Australia’s Sam Kerr, or USWNT legend Alex Morgan, there’s plenty of star power. France's Wendie Renard and Kadidiatou Diani, USWNT’s Naomi Girma and Trinity Rodman (her opening Olympic goal wearing the F50s from the adidas Stellar Icon Olympic Boot Pack might be better than Olise’s), and Zambia’s Barbra Banda to name a few. But Spain’s stacked team of Ballon d'Or Féminin winners Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, Salma Paralluelo and other 2024 Champions Leagues winners with Barcelona is hard to beat.
The best TikToks so far?
Jokes haul content and match commentary. Make sure the sound is on.
Let’s see how this all plays out together. The men's gold medal match is on Friday August 9 and the women's is on Saturday August 10.
