OLYMPIC GAMES | SOCCER
USA men’s soccer 2024 Olympics in Paris schedule: dates, times, games
The United States face World Cup finalists France in their group stage opener this week.
After a disappointing showing from the senior team in this summer’s Copa América, the United States’ men’s under-23s team will be looking to restore a bit of pride at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Head coach Marko Mitrovic has named a strong 18-man roster for the competition, the first group of US players to qualify for the tournament since 2008.
“Almost every player developed through our American soccer pathway, rising to become professionals and now they will live their dreams of competing at the Olympics,” Mitrovic explained. “Our goal is to make our country proud and we will give everything for the United States.”
When is the first game for the US men’s soccer team?
The team will begin their Olympics journey on Wednesday, July 24, two days before the official Opening Ceremony on the River Seine. Due to the longer format of the competition, some Olympic events start ahead of Opening Ceremony.
The first fixture for Mitrovic’s side is a daunting one, taking on hosts France on Wednesday in Marseille (9pm local / 3pm ET). They will follow that up with a game against New Zealand on Saturday (7pm local / 1pm ET) and their final group stage fixture against Guinea the following Tuesday (7pm local / 1pm ET).
The top two in each group will progress to the knockout stages, where the US could face the likes of Argentina and Spain in single-elimination fixtures.
Why isn’t Kylian Mbappé playing for France at the Olympics?
Unlike other Olympic disciplines, the men’s soccer tournament includes restrictions on the age of players involved. Of the 18-man squad, at least 15 of those players must be aged 23 or younger at the start of the year.
Don’t expect to see the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Christian Pulisic or Lamine Yamal in Paris, although the latter would comfortably fit within the age restrictions. Elite players are rarely chosen to represent their nations at the Olympics.
The Olympics is not an official FIFA competition, meaning that club teams are not obliged to release their players and the Games does not fit with the flow of the international soccer calendar. Many players have just represented their nations at the European Championship or Copa América and the domestic European club season is set to resume in the coming weeks.
The United States have named the MLS trio of Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson and Djordje Mihailovic as their three overaged players, opting to reinforce the defence with greater experience. France have named two overaged players, former Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette and Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta. They will be coached by another Frenchman with Premier League experience, legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.