USMNT OLYMPIC SOCCER TEAM TO FACE FRANCE, NEW ZEALAND AND ASIA-AFRICA
NEW YORK (March 20, 2024) – The United States will face France, New Zealand and the Asia-Africa intercontinental playoff winner in Group A at the 2024 Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament, set for July 24-Aug. 9 in seven cities and stadiums across France. The Olympic Final Draw took place this evening at the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee in Saint-Denis.
Paris 2024 marks the U.S. men’s first time back at the Games since 2008. The USA will kick off its Olympic return on Wednesday, July 24 – two days before the Opening Ceremony – against host France (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET) at Stade de Marseille in Marseille. The U.S. will then take on New Zealand on Saturday, July 27 (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET) and finish the group stage against the AFC-CAF playoff winner on Tuesday, July 30 (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET). The AFC-CAF playoff will be contested between Guinea, the fourth-place finisher at the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, and the fourth-place finisher from the upcoming 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
“It’s an important day for every team to learn their opponents and the challenges that await in the Olympic Games,” said Men’s Olympic Team head coach Marko Mitrović. “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.”
The Men’s Olympic Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. The competition features 16 teams, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarterfinals.
*Will be determined at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
Will be played between Guinea (fourth place at 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations) and fourth-place finisher at 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup
Should the USA advance to the knockout stage, it would meet a team from Group B.
The U.S. was drawn out of Pot 3 alongside Egypt, Mali and the third-place finisher from Asia. Teams were sorted into pots based on a ranking determined by success in the last five Men’s Olympic Soccer Tournaments, with more recent tournament results weighted more heavily, as well as performance in confederation qualifying tournaments.
Men’s soccer has been a part of the Olympic program since France 1900. The tournament served as the sport’s world championship until the launch of the FIFA World Cup in 1930. In 1992, it became an under-23 competition with an allowance for three overage players. The U.S. men’s best finish came at Sydney 2000, when the likes of Landon Donovan, Brad Friedel and Josh Wolff led the red, white and blue to fourth place.
The U.S. qualified for the 2024 Olympics with a dominant performance at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Honduras, defeating the host nation 3-0 in the tournament semifinals to secure its Olympic berth.
The U.S. men have never faced France or New Zealand at the Olympics.
FRANCE
FIFA Country Code: FRA
2024 Olympic Qualifying: Qualified automatically as host country, quarterfinalist at 2023 UEFA U-21 Championship
Olympic Games Appearances: 14 (1900, 1908, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1948, 1952, 1960, 1968, 1976, 1984, 1996, 2020, 2024)
Best Olympic Finish: Champion (1984)
Overall Record in Olympics: 18-14-5
U-23 Era Record in Olympics: 3-3-1
Record vs. USA at Olympics: 0-0-0
Coach: Thierry Henry (FRA)
Leading Olympic Qualifying Scorers: Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki (two goals)
Language: French
NEW ZEALAND
FIFA Country Code: NZL
2024 Olympic Qualifying: Champion at 2023 OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament
Olympic Games Appearances: Four (2008, 2012, 2020, 2024)
Best Olympic Finish: Quarterfinals (2020)
Overall Record in Olympics: 1-5-4
U-23 Era Record in Olympics: 1-5-4
Record vs. USA at Olympics: 0-0-0
Coach: Darren Bazeley (ENG)
Leading Olympic Qualifying Scorers: Riley Bidois (five goals), Jesse Randall (four goals)
Language: English, Maori
