USA men and women learn opponents for 2024 Summer Olympics
The official draws for the 2024 Summer Olympics took place on Wednesday in France, the host nation of the competition. The United States men’s team previously qualified to participate in the tournament for the first time since 2008. Head coach Marko Mitrovic will hope that the Americans can get out of the group stage, something that the team could not accomplish 16 years ago.
The U.S. U-23 squad was placed in the same group as France in Wednesday’s draw. Along with facing the tournament hosts, the Americans will also play New Zealand and the winner of an upcoming playoff match. This final place in Group A of the competition is set to either be a team from Africa or Asia. Guinea, the fourth-place squad from the African qualification, has already booked a place in the match.
Both USA squads face tough opponents in the 2024 Summer Olympics
USA will begin their summer tournament by facing France on Wednesday, July 24th. This date comes two days before the actual Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. The match is set to be played at Stade de Marseille and will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET. The young Americans will then play New Zealand in the second match of Group A three days later. This match is also set to be played in Marseille as well.
Mitrovic’s squad will finish off their group stage with a matchup against the currently unknown qualifier on July 30. The latter two fixtures of Group A are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET. This final group stage game will take place in Saint-Etienne.
“It’s an important day for every team to learn their opponents and the challenges that await in the Olympic Games,” Mitrovic said after the draw. “We know that this is an elite tournament, with 16 elite teams that are the best in their confederations.”
“Now, we can picture the opponents, the cities and the stadiums where we’ll play. The excitement is here. We will keep that excitement over the next four months of work, preparing in the best way possible to convert that excitement into achievement on the field.”
USWNT gets travel break with the draw, but faces a familiar foe
Along with the men’s tournament, the women’s draw also took place on Wednesday as well. However, unlike the men’s competition, the full United States women’s national team will be able to feature at the 2024 Olympics. The upcoming games will be the USWNT’s first competitive tournament with new head coach Emma Hayes.
U.S. Soccer swung for the fences when they signed the Chelsea women’s team manager back in November. Hayes, however, will complete the current campaign with the reigning Women’s Super League champions before joining the Americans in late May.
The USWNT was drawn in Group B alongside Germany, Australia and an additional qualifier. Nevertheless, this final matchup in the group for the Americans will either come against Morocco or Zambia. The winner of this qualifier will face the USWNT on July 25 at 3 p.m. ET in Nice to kick off the women’s tournament.
A tough test against Germany in Marseille is then scheduled three days later. FIFA ranks the Germans fifth, just one spot below the USWNT. The two teams have combined to collect six of nine Women’s World Cup titles. A final matchup with Australia on July 31st at 1 p.m. ET will then complete the group stage.
PHOTOS: IMAGO