- Full line-up for Women’s Olympic Football Tournament now complete
- Group-stage draw to take place on 21 April at FIFA headquarters in Zurich
- We highlights interesting facts and figures about the event
All 12 berths at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament have now been filled. The final place went to Chile, who who will be making their debut at the event. All that remains is for the participating countries to find out who they will be facing in Tokyo, which will be decided at the draw for the group stage on 21 April in Zurich.
Did you know…?
USA have won the most medals at the women’s tournament. To whet your appetite, we have compiled some interesting facts and figures about the event.
All well as holding the record for the most medals (four gold and one silver), the Stars and Stripes lead the way in terms of goals scored (64) and games won (25).
In 2016, Sweden made it to the final for the first time. En route to the silver medal, the Damslandslaget eliminated defending champions USA in the quarter-finals and then Brazil in the semis. In both those games, Sweden progressed on penalties.
China PR will set an Asian record with their sixth participation at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Australia scored 21 times during their successful qualification campaign for 2020 Tokyo. Emily van Egmond led the way with five goals, with Sam Kerr next on four.
Five games, five wins. At the 2018 OFC Women’s Nations Cup, New Zealand won all five of their games, scoring an impressive 43 goals and conceding none.
With 14 goals, Brazil’s Cristiane is the all-time leading scorer at the tournament. Among that haul are two hat-tricks.
Brazil, like USA and Sweden, have participated in every edition of the tournament. At Tokyo 2020, they will be making their seventh appearance, this time coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the Starts and Stripes to gold in 2004 and 2008 with victories over Brazil in both finals. In their six previous attempts, the South Americans reached at least the semis on all but one occasion.
Japan and Germany played the very first match at a Women’s Olympic Football Tournament on 21 July 1996. The European side defeated the 2011 world champions 3-2 thanks to goals from Bettina Wiegmann and Heidi Mohr and a Yumi Tomei own-goal. Futaba Kioka and Akemi Noda were on target for the Nadeshiko.
Tokyo 2020 will be Great Britain’s second appearance at the tournament. In 2012, the then hosts won all three group games before losing to eventual bronze medalists Canada in the quarter-finals.
Speaking of Canada, during the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, veteran Canuck forward Christine Sinclair broke Abby Wambach’s scoring record (184 goals) to become the all-time top scorer in international (men’s and women’s) football.
France 2019 runners-up and reigning European champions the Netherlands will grace the tournament for the first time in Tokyo, where Chile and Zambia will also make maiden appearances.
