WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023
Spain’s World Cup win is only the beginning: Olympic gold is the next objective
After their triumph in Australia and New Zealand, Spain already have their sights set on another gold medal: the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
After achieving their goal of winning the World Cup, the Spanish national team are already dreaming of what is coming next: the Olympic Games, where a gold medal at Paris 2024 would be a new historic high for the country and women’s football. These are not the words of excited, adrenaline-fuelled fans, however, but the declarations of Spain’s manager, Jorge Vilda: “I have a dream: the Spanish women’s national team has never been at an Olympic games before, and we’re going for it.”
The World Cup, however, does not grant a place in the Olympics, so the selección will have to find their way to Paris via the Nations League. Now, with the star on their chest, the team are dreaming of participating in the games and another gold medal would be another huge historic achievement for Vilda and co. who continue to climb the mountain of success.
Which teams will play at the Olympics?
A total of 12 women’s football teams will take part in the 2024 Olympic Games, with a total of 216 players making up the squads of 18 each. On of the places goes directly to the host nation, which in this case is France, while the other 11 will be selected from various classification tournaments. Europe has two spots, apart from France, who will be granted a place upon making the final of the Nations League. North America, Central America and the Caribbean will also be given two places in the Olympics, the same as South America, Africa and Asia, while Oceania will only have a single representative from the continent.
Unlike in the men’s game, there is no age limit for players in women’s football at the Olympics, meaning that all of the world champion players could theoretically be called up to the squad if Spain ends up qualifying. To do so, as mentioned, they would have to make the final of the Nations League, unless France, the hosts, also make the final. In that case, the Olympic Games place would go to the third-placed team.
How they did it:
When do the Spain women’s team play next?
The women’s team will have no time to rest after their World Cup victory, as they are due to meet up again in the middle of September at the Las Rozas training base in northern Madrid. And this time, they’ll do so with the Nations League firmly in their sights. The group stage is to be played between September 21 and December 5 of 2023, while the final phase will take place between February 21 and 28 of 2024. Of the four groups, only the top team will qualify for the knockout round.
Spain have ended up in Group A4 of the Nations League, alongside Italy, Sweden and Switzerland, two of their World Cup opponents. Vilda’s players will begin the first game on September 22 against Sweden; their next tie will be against Switzerland 4 days later and finally they will play Italy on October 27.
UEFA Nations League groups:
Group A1: England, Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland
Group A2: France, Norway, Austria, Portugal.
Group A3: Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Wales.
Group A4: Spain, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland