Paris 2024 Olympics football, Australia women’s schedule: Matildas to vie for maiden podium finish - all fixtures
The Australian women’s football team will begin its quest for glory at the Paris 2024 Olympics on July 25 at the Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. They will take on 2016 champions Germany in their opening match.
The Matildas were within touching distance of a first-ever Olympic medal at Tokyo 2020 but lost 4-3 to the US women’s national team in the bronze medal match.
The Aussies made it to the semi-finals, also their first-ever in the Olympics, but lost to Sweden to enter the bronze medal match.
The Matildas will compete in their fifth women’s Olympic football tournament at Paris 2024.
Besides the USWNT, Norway (2000), Germany (2016) and Canada (2020) are the other teams to have won an Olympic gold medal in women’s football.
The Matildas, world No. 12, find themselves in a tough group alongside four-time Olympic champions USA (No. 5), Germany (No. 4) and Zambia (No. 64). They are also missing out on the services of their leading goal-scorer Sam Kerr, who is ruled out due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
The Australian women’s football team has achieved great results under Tony Gustavsson since his appointment in September 2020. The Swedish manager’s first major assignment was the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games - where his team achieved the highest finish (fourth) by an Aussie team, male or female.
Australia also reached the semi-finals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which they also hosted.
Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football teams and groups
The women’s football tournament at Paris 2024 will begin with a round-robin group stage, with 12 teams divided into three groups. Each team will play their group opponents once.
The teams finishing top two in their respective groups and the two best teams among the third-placed teams across all groups will make it to the quarter-finals.
The quarter-finals will be played on August 3 followed by the semi-finals on August 6. The bronze medal match will be played at the Lyon Stadium on August 9 followed by the summit clash on August 11 at the Parc des Princes.
Paris 2024 Olympics Matildas squad
Matildas captain Steph Catley and vice captains Emily van Egmond and Ellie Carpenter are set to make their third appearance at the Summer Games. Eight players in the Matildas squad have made over 100 appearances for the national team.
Forwards: Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Michelle Heyman, Cortnee Vine
Midfielders: Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso, Kaitlyn Torpey, Emily van Egmond (vice-captain), Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop
Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley (captain), Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Clare Polkinghorne
Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah
Reserves: Lydia Williams, Courtney Nevin, Charlotte Grant, Sharn Freier
Paris 2024 Olympics Matildas fixtures
Live start times, all in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)
Where to watch Paris 2024 Olympics football in Australia
Live streaming of the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s football matches will be available on 9Now and Stan. The Matildas’ Paris 2024 games will be broadcast live on the Network Nine TV channels in Australia.