The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be the first major tournament for the U.S. women's national soccer team under new head coach Emma Hayes . The USWNT took home bronze in the Tokyo Olympics after losing in the quarterfinals in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Women's soccer debuted on the Olympic stage in 1996 and the USWNT won gold that year. They took home silver in 2000 before a run of gold medals in 2004, 2008, and 2012. But the last remnants of that gold medal run are gone. For the first time since the 1996 debut, the USWNT enters the Olympic Games without a gold medal-winning player on its squad.
FIFA ranks the USWNT No. 5 in the world ahead of the Olympic tournament and they're far from underdogs at this year's games. Here's how the power rankings look ahead of group play with odds from BetMGM .
WANNA BET? Check out new customer offers with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting apps
2024 Paris Olympics: Women's soccer power rankings
1. USWNT (+175)
Despite FIFA's ranking, the USWNT enters the Olympics as slight favorites. Hayes' arrival after an impressive run at Chelsea points to lots of potential. There's plenty of Olympic experience, too, with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, midfielder Lindsey Horan, and forward Crystal Dunn making their third appearance in the Summer Games.
A 0-0 tie with Costa Rica Tuesday was the final tune-up for the team ahead of their opener against Zambia.
2. Spain (+188)
Spain's rise to prominence in women's soccer came to a head in the 2023 Women's World Cup. The squad made the World Cup for just the third time and won the gold medal game 1-0 over England. This is their first Olympic Games but expect to perform well with a majority of their World Cup-winning squad returning, including Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati.
Their latest match was a 2-0 win over Belgium on July 16.
3. France (+500)
France has never medaled in the Olympic Games in women's soccer. They came closest in 2012 with a 1-0 loss to Canada in the bronze medal match. They're an experienced squad led by Lyon teammates Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer. This is the last major tournament under coach Herve Renard, who will leave his position after the Olympics.
They lost their latest match 3-1 to Ireland on July 16.
4. Germany (+1200)
The gold medal winners from 2016 are back in the Summer Olympics after failing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. They were knocked out of the group stage in the 2023 Women's World Cup and will be without midfielder Lena Oberdorf, who suffered an ACL injury. They do have another rising star at the position though with Jule Brand in addition to striker Klara Bühl. They should be a tough challenge for the USWNT in Group B.
They won their most recent match 4-0 over Austria on July 16 with two goals from Bühl and one by Brand.
5. Japan (+1400)
Japan lost to the USWNT in the gold medal game in 2012 and haven't made it to a medal game since. They lost in the quarterfinals in the Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 Women's World Cup. But midfielder Hinata Miyazawa earned the Golden Boot at the World Cup with five goals in five games. This is a young squad that could usher in a new era for the national team.
They've won their last three matches in a row, most recently a 4-0 win over Ghana on July 12.
Next five in odds: Brazil (+1600), Australia (+1600), Canada (+2000), Colombia (+2500), Nigeria (+6600)
2024 Paris Olympics: Women's soccer groups
Group A
- Canada
- Colombia
- France
- New Zealand
Group B
- Australia
- Germany
- USWNT
- Zambia
Group C
- Brazil
- Japan
- Nigeria
- Spain
2024 Paris Olympics: Women's soccer schedule
Group play
- Match 1 : July 25
- Match 2 : July 28
- Match 3 : July 31
Knockout stage
- Quarterfinals : Aug. 3
- Semifinals : Aug. 6
- Bronze medal match : Aug. 9
- Gold medal match : Aug. 10
How to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics
Date: July 24-Aug. 11
TV: Games broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo, Universo, CNBC and Golf Channel
Streaming: Peacock , nbcolympics.com, fuboTV
Stream the Olympics: Catch the Paris Games with a Peacock subscription
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Paris Olympics women's soccer: USWNT leads power rankings by odds for gold medal
Most Popular
Comments / 0