Summer Olympics: Women’s Football

The women’s football tournament at this summer’s Olympic Games will take place in Paris from 25 July to 10 August.

The tournament will feature four of the world’s five highest-ranked national teams, including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup winners, Spain, and four-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winners, the United States of America.

The women’s tournament is open to players of all ages, meaning that countries can select their best players, without restrictions.

At Spain’s disposal are FC Barcelona Femení’s Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas. The pair have shared the Ballon d'Or Féminin since 2021, with Putellas becoming the first woman to win the Ballon d'Or more than once.

At the Olympics, the Spanish stars could face a familiar opponent in France defender Wendie Renard. Renard has  made over 375 appearances for Olympique Lyonnais Féminin – more than any other player. Her latest appearance for the club was against FC Barcelona Femení in this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League final, where goals from Bonmatí and Putellas sealed the win for the Spanish side.

As explained in our article on men’s football at the Olympics, clubs must allow players to represent their national teams during the international windows listed in FIFA’s international match calendar. Since the men’s calendar does not include the Olympics, European clubs are generally opposed to their players playing in the tournament. The men’s tournament thus rarely features all-star teams on par with the FIFA World Cup.

However, for the women’s game, the women’s calendar does include the Olympics. This means that clubs (including the aforementioned UEFA Women’s Champions League finalists) must allow their players to play in the Olympics if they are selected by their national teams.

Of course, the additional strain on players participating in the Olympics is a consideration for clubs in the women’s game too. However, whereas many clubs view the men’s tournament as an unwelcome burden on players, the women’s tournament is seen as a far more prestigious event. Whether that is because the women’s tournament is recognised by FIFA is open to debate.

This summer’s Olympic Games promise to provide the very best of women’s football. Having lost the 2024 UEFA Women's Nations League final to Spain earlier this year, France will be seeking revenge on home soil. Spain, on the other hand, will be looking to win their first Olympic gold medal and their third international tournament in a row.

Following the record viewership of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, we are excited to witness another significant event in women's football, showcasing the sport's growth on an international level.

Read our article on the men’s football tournament at the Olympics here.

Authors 

Donna Bartley
Partner

Marko Lavs
Trainee Solicitor