They’re the most popular team in the country right now, but how will the Matildas fare at this year’s Olympics?
Read on to find out everything you know about Australia’s Olympic campaign in women’s football, including the fixtures, the squad, their medal chances and who the favourites are to win gold.
Will the Matildas play at the Paris Olympics?
Yes, Australia’s women’s football team will be in action at this year’s Olympic Games.
The Matildas booked their ticket to Paris after demolishing Uzbekistan 10-0 back in February, for a 13-0 aggregate victory that meant they were in the top two sides in the AFC qualification tournament.
A short time later the Aussies were drawn in what many have dubbed the Group of Death, alongside four-time Olympic champion USA, 2016 gold medallists Germany, and African wildcard Zambia.
What are the Matildas fixtures at the Paris Olympics?
All dates and times below are AEST.
| Time | Teams | Venue |
| Friday July 26, 3am | Germany vs Australia | Marseille Stadium |
| Monday July 29, 3am | Australia vs Zambia | Nice Stadium |
| Thursday August 1, 3am | Australia vs USA | Marseille Stadium |
The top two teams in each group, plus the two best third-placed teams from the three groups, will advance to the quarter-finals.
For the full fixture, check out our comprehensive list of the scheduled events at the Paris Olympics.
Will Sam Kerr play at the Olympics?
Let’s get the bad news out of the way early – no, Sam Kerr will not play for Australia at the 2024 Olympics. The record-breaking striker suffered an ACL injury back in January and missed the second half of the Women’s Super League season with her English club Chelsea.
Any remote hopes she had of making it back in time for the Games were dashed when Football Australia officially ruled her out of the squad in May.
Who is in the Matildas squad for the 2024 Olympics?
Matildas Olympics squad
Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah
Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley (capt), Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Clare Polkinghorne, Kaitlyn Torpey
Midfielders: Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop
Forwards: Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Michelle Heyman, Hayley Raso, Cortnee Vine
Alternates: Lydia Williams, Sharn Freier, Charlotte Grant, Courtney Nevin.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson named his 18-player squad for Paris 2024 shortly after the Aussie women’s national side played a couple of farewell games against China at the start of June. Star striker Kerr misses out due to injury but Gustavsson has backed two other key players, forward Caitlin Foord and midfield linchpin Katrina Gorry, to overcome their injury problems and play a role in Paris.
Most of the players who became household names during last year’s World Cup, such as Hayley Raso, Steph Catley, Mackenzie Arnold and Mary Fowler were included in the squad, while there was also a spot for veteran striker Michelle Heyman, who has experienced a stunning renaissance at the age of 35. Retiring goalkeeper Lydia Williams was included in a group of four reserves who will travel with the squad in case of injury.
(L-R) Clare Polkinghorne, Caitlin Foord, Alanna Kennedy, Ellie Carpenter, Emily van Egmond, Mackenzie Arnold, Steph Catley, Tameka Yallop (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Can the Matildas win a medal at the Olympics?
They certainly think so, and it would be foolish to doubt them after their stirring performance at last year’s World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by England.
That said, the Matildas face a huge task just to get out of their group this time around, having been drawn alongside a couple of heavyweights in the United States and Germany. But with the Americans going through a rebuilding phase after their surprise early elimination from the World Cup, and the Germans undergoing a similar process, the task may not be quite as ominous as it initially appears.
That’s especially true because, as well as the top two teams in each group earning automatic qualification, the two best third-placed teams will also make it through to the quarter-finals, meaning a draw against one of the big guns plus victory over Zambia should be enough to earn Australia a spot in the knockout rounds.
This was the route the Matildas took in Tokyo, finishing third in their ‘Group of Death’ that time behind Sweden and the USA before going on to defeat Great Britain in the quarter-final.
Australia went down to Sweden a second time in the semi-finals, and then missed out on a historic bronze medal by losing 4-3 to the USA in the third-placed playoff.
Has Australia ever won a football medal at the Olympics?
Australia has never won a medal for football at the Olympics in the men’s or women’s competition.
The closest the Matildas came was that loss to the USA in the bronze medal playoff three years ago.
The Olyroos, Australia’s men’s team, has also finished fourth at the Olympics once. That was back in 1992, when a squad featuring Mark Bosnich, Ned Zelic, Tony Popovic, Paul Okon and current Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar went down to Ghana at the Camp Nou in the bronze medal match.
They won’t have a chance to improve upon that performance in Paris after failing to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.
Who won the gold medal for football at the last Olympics?
Canada were the surprise gold medallists for women’s football in Tokyo, overcoming Sweden in the final via a penalty shootout.
On the men’s side, Brazil defeated Spain in the gold medal match at the last Olympics.
Who are the favourites for football at the Paris Olympics?
Despite everything that has happened since they hoisted the Women’s World Cup less than a year ago, Spain are still the favourites to win gold in Paris.
They have a new coach – Jorge Vilda, who led them to World Cup glory in Australia, was sacked due to player unrest that had been ongoing for more than a year before that tournament – but even under Montse Tome, who replaced Vilda, the issues between the players and Spain’s football federation have not quite gone away.
And yet, the sumptuous football they displayed last year means they will still be the team to beat at the Olympics. That said, a rejuvenated USA under Emma Hayes, who won everything under the sun at Chelsea, will probably see themselves as favourites, while a smokey could be Colombia, who were all class at last year’s World Cup thanks to breakout star Linda Caicedo.
In the men’s tournament France are the standout contender, and not just because they’ll enjoy home ground advantage. They’re coached by the legendary Thierry Henry (albeit his coaching credentials are less legendary than his playing ones), and have a squad that includes PSG young gun Warren Zaire-Emery, dynamic Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta and veteran striker Alexandre Lacazette as one of the overage players.
Michelle Heyman in action for the Matildas during the Rio 2016 Olympics. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Which countries qualified for women’s football at the Paris Olympics?
Group A
Canada
Colombia
France
New Zealand
Group B
Australia
Germany
USA
Zambia
Group C
Brazil
Japan
Nigeria
Spain
Which countries qualified for men’s football at the Paris Olympics?
Group A
France
Guinea
New Zealand
USA
Group B
Argentina
Iraq
Morocco
Ukraine
Group C
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Spain
Uzbekistan