2024 Olympics: Final Group Standings and Quarterfinal Match-Ups

Knockout bracket for the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics

On Saturday, August 3rd, the eight remaining teams in the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be reduced to the four medal contenders once that day’s quarterfinals concludes.

Among the teams still standing are the United States Women’s National Team, who topped their group for only the second time at the Olympics, and will face off against Japan for the fourth time in an Olympics knockout match. Spain, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions, are looking to win their first Olympic gold medal. Meanwhile, the current gold medal holders, Canada, despite their 6 point deduction, made it through to knockout phase and will face the 2016 gold medalists, Germany. Also in the hunt are both South American sides: Brazil, who will be without Marta due to a red card suspension, and Colombia, who are hoping to advance to their first Olympic semifinal. Host France, buoyed by the goal-scoring of Marie-Antoinette Katoto, are still looking to win their first major championship.

In the United States, the only way to watch the quarterfinal matches live with English-language commentary is via streaming, either through Peacock (via subscription) or, if one has a multichannel service provider, then the NBC Sports app or NBCOlympics.com. However, all four quarterfinal matches will air live on Telemundo and Universo.

Final Group Stage Standings

Group A

  1. France: 6 points, +1 goal difference, 6 goals scored
  2. Canada: 3 points, +3 goal difference, 5 goals scored
  3. Colombia: 3 points, 0 goal difference, 4 goals scored
  4. New Zealand: 0 points, -4 goal difference, 2 goals scored

Group B

  1. USA: 9 points, +7 goal difference, 9 goals scored
  2. Germany: 6 points, +3 g0al difference, 8 goals scored
  3. Australia: 3 points, -3 goal difference, 7 goals scored
  4. Zambia: 0 points, -7 goal difference, 6 goals scored

Group C

  1. Spain: 9 points, +4 goal difference, 5 goals scored
  2. Japan: 6 points, +2 goal difference, 6 goals scored
  3. Brazil: 3 points, -2 goal difference, 2 goals scored
  4. Nigeria: 0 points, -4 goal difference, 1 goal scored

Ranking of the Third-Place Teams

  1. Colombia: 3 points, 0 goal difference, 4 goals scored
  2. Brazil: 3 points, -2 goal difference, 2 goals scored
  3. Australia: 3 points, -3 goal difference, 7 goals scored

In the Final Standings, Australia will be 9th, while the fourth-place teams will have the 10th to 12th spots in the following order:

Ranking of the Fourth-Place Teams

  1. New Zealand: 0 points, -4 goal difference, 2 goals scored
  2. Nigeria: 0 points, -4 goal difference, 1 goal scored
  3. Zambia: 0 points, -7 goal difference, 6 goals scored

The Quarterfinals

For complete lists of officiating crews for each match, see this Refereeing World post.

USWNT vs Japan (9:00 a.m. EDT)

This will be the fourth time that the USA and the Nadeshiko face off in a knockout match in the Olympics. All three previous encounters were won by the USWNT (2004 quarterfinals, 2008 semifinal, and the 2012 gold medal match).

The two past Women’s World Cup champions met earlier this year, in a SheBelieves Cup match. (U.S. Soccer match recap) In that match, Japan scored in the first minute. The USA equalized in the 21st minute on a Jaedyn Shaw goal. A converted penalty kick in the final fifteen minutes by Lindsey Horan was the game-winner.

For the USWNT, the key difference from that match in April to this upcoming quarterfinal is that the current trio of starting forwards are much more potent and dynamic scoring threats. Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, who both started in that SheBelieves match, plus Sophia Smith, have all found their groove, combining for 7 of the team’s 9 goals and 4 of the team’s 6 assists.

Japan will be without right outside-back Risa Shimizu, who sustained a “knee injury” in the Nadeshiko’s first group match against Spain. (mancity.com)

For the USA, starting defensive midfielder Sam Coffey will be unavailable due to yellow card accumulation. The USWNT could also be without another starter: Center-back Tierna Davidson, who suffered a “contusion” of either the leg and/or knee in the 4:1 win over Germany. Also questionable is forward Jaedyn Shaw, who injured her leg in a practice before the tournament began.

The center referee for the match will be Tess Olofsson of Sweden, who officiated the USA men’s final group stage match against Guinea. (U.S. soccer match report)

Spain vs. Colombia (11:00 a.m. EDT)

On paper, Spain most likely has the easiest quarterfinal, though Colombia could unleash their inner-Concacaf (The Athletic) and make Spain’s life difficult, if not miserable. Colombia, as evidenced by their performance against France, is not to be taken lightly, but as long as Spain is focused defensively, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions should be able to take care of business.

A Mexican trio will be officiating the match, with Katia Garcia as the center referee.

Canada vs. Germany (1:00 p.m. EDT)

While Germany is probably secretly counting its blessings as they do not have to face France*, who would have been the Group A runner-up had a certain Canadian staffer not been arrested by French police, in France, they still have a challenging quarterfinal.

Seventeen times Germany has faced Canada, including twice at the Olympics and twice at a Women’s World Cup (DFB.de). Canada has only defeated Germany two times, once in a group stage match at the 2016 Olympics (however, Germany won the semifinal re-match) and the last time they met: a 2022 friendly on neutral territory. (DFB.de) In that match, Vanessa Gilles, who has two game-winners, both via headers, for Canada in this tournament, had the only goal, which was also scored using her head. (Canada Soccer highlights)

*Since 2019, Germany and France have met five times (DFB.de), including once this year (in a Nations League semifinal). Although Germany has won four of those matches, all five matches were decided by a single goal.

France vs. Brazil (3:00 p.m. EDT)

Thanks in part to Canada’s 6 point deduction, France is right where they hoped to be as the top team in Group A. Having avoided a quarterfinal against their neighbor and continental powerhouse Germany, France has ended up with one of the easier quarterfinals, especially as the two-time silver medalists will be without their talisman, Marta. Brazil has managed to score just two goals this tournament, the fewest of any of the quarterfinalists.

The center and assistant referees for this match will all be Americans: Tori Penso will have the whistle, while Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt will be on the sidelines. That trio will also be familiar to France, as the Americans officiated France’s first match, against Colombia.