Paris 2024 Olympics football draw: Matildas clubbed with former champions USA and Germany

The draw for football at the Paris 2024 Olympics was announced at the Le Pulse Building in Saint-Denis, Paris, on Thursday (AEDT).

The Australian women’s football team has been drawn in Group B, alongside four-time Olympic champions USA and the Rio 2016 gold medallists Germany. The fourth team will be from Africa, with either Zambia or Morocco to be confirmed after the CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) concludes next month.

Women’s football at Paris 2024 Olympics: Groups

Group A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand

Group B: USA, (African team), Germany, Australia

Group C: Spain, Japan, (African team), Brazil

The Matildas are the third-best ranked team in Group B at world No. 12. The USA, fourth in the FIFA Rankings, are the top side in their group ahead of fifth-placed Germany.

Australia, who made history at the FIFA World Cup last year by reaching the semi-finals for the first time, qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics after winning the third and final round of the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament last month.

The Australian women’s football team reached the semi-finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but missed out on a medal after losing to the USA 4-3 in the bronze medal match. It was still the best finish at the Olympics for the Matildas. Paris 2024 will be the fifth appearance for the Australian women’s football team at the Olympics.

Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, were drawn with hosts France, Colombia and New Zealand.

While the women's event is played by 12 senior national sides, the men's competition is largely an under-23 affair featuring 16 teams. However, each men’s team is allowed a maximum of three players above 23 years of age in the squad.

The Australian men’s football team will have a chance to book their place in the Olympics through the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup to be held in Qatar in April-May. Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Brazil failed to qualify from South America.

Men’s football at Paris 2024 Olympics: Groups

Group A: France, USA, (Asian team/African team), New Zealand

Group B: Argentina, Morocco, (Asian team), Ukraine

Group C: (Asian team), Spain, Egypt, Dominican Republic

Group D: (Asian team), Paraguay, Mali, Israel

Football at the Paris 2024 Olympics will be played from July 24 to August 10 across seven different venues. However, both the finals will be played in Paris at the Parc des Princes football stadium.