U.S. men lumped with France

The United States women’s national soccer team will face Australia, Germany, and either Morocco or Zambia in Group B at the 2024 Paris Olympics, FIFA confirmed on Wednesday at the tournament draw at the Pulse Building near Paris, Jeff Kassouf reports for ESPN.

The tournament will mark the first competitive games in charge of the U.S. for incoming head coach Emma Hayes, who takes over the team following its worst finish in World Cup history last year.

Tournament play will begin on July 25 for the U.S. in Nice against Morocco or Zambia, who will compete in a two-leg playoff in April. The U.S. has never previously played either team.

The Americans won four of the first five Olympics to feature women’s soccer but are searching for their first gold medal since the 2012 London Games. They earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The U.S. recently fell to No. 4 in FIFA’s rankings, its worst position since the rankings launched in 2003, but was one of three seeded teams for the tournament alongside World Cup champion Spain and host France. England, the No. 2 team in the world, failed to qualify (as Great Britain) for the Olympics.

The United States has a 23-5-7 record against Germany. The two teams have combined to win six of the nine Women’s World Cup titles. They have only met once in Olympic play, in a 2004 semifinal that the U.S. won 2-1 in extra time behind a goal from Heather O’Reilly.

Australia has defeated the U.S. only once in 34 meetings. The teams played to a scoreless draw in the previous Olympics’ group stage and met again in the bronze-medal game, which the U.S. won 4-3.

Morocco and Zambia each made their World Cup debuts last year. Morocco has never qualified for an Olympic women’s soccer tournament. Zambia made its debut in the game in 2021.

Defending Olympic women’s champion Canada will face Colombia, New Zealand, and host France in Group A of the women’s tournament. Spain will play in Group C alongside Japan, Brazil, and April’s Nigeria-South Africa playoff winner.

The men’s Olympic draw also took place on Wednesday, with the U.S. men set to compete at the Olympics this summer for the first time since 2008 after failing to qualify for the previous three editions.

The U.S. men were drawn in Group A alongside host France, New Zealand, and the winner of a playoff between Guinea, the fourth-place team from African qualification, and the fourth-place team from Asian qualifying.

The Olympic men’s soccer tournament is a U-23 competition. Each team is allowed three overage players.