After multiple rounds of qualifying, the Matildas have officially booked their ticket to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games.
The team’s path to a potential medal has now been revealed, and it won’t be easy.
The Sporting News has all the key details.
MORE: 2024 Olympic football draw for men’s and women’s tournaments in Paris
The Matildas have been drawn in Group B.
This will see them play Germany, the USA and Zambia.
As a juggernaut in women’s football, facing the United States will be a big challenge for Australia.
They have won the most gold medals at the Olympics (4) and will be looking for their fifth triumph in Paris.
However, the USA have dropped to No. 4 in the FIFA rankings, partly due to their Round of 16 exit in last year’s World Cup.
Tony Gustavsson’s side will also have their work cut out for them against Germany, who are ranked as the No. 5 team in the world.
They scored Olympic gold in 2016 and were runners-up at the UEFA Women’s Championship in 2022.
Zambia – qualifiers for last year’s World Cup – are also not pushovers.
Australia will begin their Olympic group campaign with a match against Germany on Friday, July 26.
They will play either Zambia or Morocco three days later on Monday, July 29.
A potentially crucial final group game against the USA is scheduled for Thursday, August 1.
Despite the Games taking place in Paris, the Matildas will play two matches in Marseille and one in Nice.
Date | Time (AEST) | Match | Location |
Fri, Jul. 26 | 3 a.m. | Germany vs. Australia | Orange Velodrome (Marseille, France) |
Fri, Jul. 26 | 5 a.m. | USA vs. Zambia | Allianz Riviera (Nice, France) |
Mon, Jul. 29 | 3 a.m. | Australia vs. Zambia | Allianz Riviera (Nice, France) |
Mon, Jul. 29 | 5 a.m. | USA vs. Germany | Orange Velodrome (Marseille, France) |
Thu, Aug. 1 | 3 a.m. | Zambia vs. Germany | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard (Saint-Etienne, France) |
Thu, Aug. 1 | 3 a.m. | Australia vs. USA | Orange Velodrome (Marseille, France) |
Twelve nations will contest the women’s 2024 Summer Olympics football tournament in Paris. Alongside the host nation, all confederations were allotted two places in the competition, except for Oceania which received one.
Zambia and Nigeria took the final two spots at the tournament, winning the African qualifiers over Morocco and South Africa respectively.
A notable absentee is England, who are ranked second in the world by FIFA but did not qualify for the Olympics. The Lionesses finished second in their UEFA Nations League group, meaning they did not even reach the final stage to have a shot at reaching the Olympics.
Nation | Confederation | FIFA rank | Qualified via |
France | UEFA | 3 | Host nation |
Spain | UEFA | 1 | 2024 UEFA Women’s Nations League winner |
Germany | UEFA | 5 | 2024 UEFA Women’s Nations League third place |
United States | CONCACAF | 4 | 2022 CONCACAF W Championship winners |
Canada | CONCACAF | 9 | CONCACAF Olympic playoff winner |
Japan | AFC | 7 | 2024 AFC Olympic qualifiers |
Australia | AFC | 12 | 2024 AFC Olympic qualifiers |
New Zealand | OFC | 28 | 2024 OFC Olympic qualifying winners |
Zambia | CAF | 65 | 2024 CAF Olympic qualifiers |
Nigeria | CAF | 36 | 2024 CAF Olympic qualifiers |
The Matildas are yet to win a medal at the Olympics.
They are currently trending upwards, though, finishing fourth – their best result yet – at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Australia narrowly missed out on a medal that year, falling 4-3 to the USA in the bronze medal match.
Each squad participating in the football tournament at the Olympics is allowed to name an 18-player squad, with four additional players to be selected on a ‘stand by’ basis in case any of the 18 players is unable to play in the tournament.
Note all caps and goals are correct as of 4th June 2024.
*Denotes reserve player
Name | Position | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mackenzie Arnold | Goalkeeper | 49 | 0 | West Ham United (ENG) |
Teegan Micah | Goalkeeper | 17 | 0 | Liverpool (ENG) |
Steph Catley | Defender | 126 | 5 | Arsenal (ENG) |
Clare Hunt | Defender | 20 | 0 | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) |
Alannah Kennedy | Defender | 124 | 9 | Manchester City (ENG) |
Ellie Carpenter | Defender | 77 | 4 | Olympique Lyon (FRA) |
Clare Polkinghorne | Defender | 167 | 16 | Kristianstads DFF (SWE) |
Kaitlyn Torpey | Defender | 5 | 1 | San Diego Wave (USA) |
Katrina Gorry | Midfielder | 107 | 17 | West Ham United (ENG) |
Kyra Cooney-Cross | Midfielder | 45 | 0 | Arsenal (ENG) |
Mary Fowler | Midfielder | 53 | 15 | Manchester City (ENG) |
Clare Wheeler | Midfielder | 21 | 2 | Everton (ENG) |
Tameka Yallop | Midfielder | 123 | 13 | Brisbane Roar (AUS) |
Emily van Egmond | Midfielder | 144 | 31 | San Diego Wave (USA) |
Caitlin Foord | Forward | 123 | 36 | Arsenal (ENG) |
Hayley Raso | Forward | 87 | 18 | Real Madrid (ESP) |
Michelle Heyman | Forward | 66 | 26 | Canberra United (AUS) |
Cortnee Vine | Forward | 29 | 3 | Sydney FC (AUS) |
Sharn Freier* | Forward | 2 | 0 | Brisbane Roar (AUS) |
Charli Grant* | Defender | 25 | 1 | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) |
Courtney Nevin* | Defender | 27 | 0 | Leicester City (ENG) |
Lydia Williams* | Goalkeeper | 104 | 0 | Melbourne Victory (AUS) |