It’s time to switch focus to another international tournament, this time this Olympics, and specifically the Women’s Olympic Soccer tournament. On the women’s side the Olympics are still a big deal and the full senior squads participate and most of the top nations are playing.
Whereas on the men’s side, the rosters are made up of Under-23 players with a few senior players added. And it’s a bit of a random assortment of countries playing.
All 12 teams take to the pitch in France on Thursday in Women’s Olympic Soccer. 3 groups of 4 compete, with the top 2 from each ground the 2 best 3rd place teams moving on.
Past Olympic Winners
- 1996: United States
- 2000: Norway
- 2004: United States
- 2008: United States
- 2012: United States
- 2016: Germany
- 2020: Canada
Women’s Olympic Soccer Odds
- USA (+175) – 5th
- Spain (+200) – 1st
- France (+500) – 2nd
- Germany (+1200) – 4th
- Brazil (+1400) – 9th
- Japan (+1400) – 7th
- Australia (+1600) – 12th
- Canada (+2000) – 8th
- Colombia (+2500) – 22nd
- Nigeria (+6600) – 36th
- Zambia (+6600) – 64th
- New Zealand (+10000) – 28th
Canada vs New Zealand Prediction
11 am EST
Canada Preview
The defending Olympic champions are one of the early games and host one of the longshots New Zealand, the teams with the longest odds.
It’s a new-look Canadian side with legend Christine Sinclair now retired and Jessie Fleming taking the armband. While Canada may be the reigning Olympic champs, more recently they faield to advance from their group in the 2023 World Cup.
Their only 2 losses in their last 13 games have come to USA and both went to PKs. Canada has scored in 13 straight and with recent scores of 2-1, 1-1, 2-0, 2-2, 1-1 and 2-2 a lot of BTTS bets are cashing.
New Zealand Preview
Go back to 2022 and the Ferns had been winless in 10 starting in October 2022 and from then on were just 2-4-13.
But they ran out with 6 straight wins from February – April this year, before a 0-0 draw (Thailand), 2-0 loss (Japan), 4-1 loss (Japan) and 1-1 draw (Zambia).
Their assistant coach Michael Maybe will be in charge after the head coach Jitka Klimkova has been involved in controversy and was asked to step down and has stayed home on a leave of absense.
H2H
Canada won 5-1 and 1-0 in 2021 friendlies and has won each of the last 4 meetings, while also being 7-2-0 all-time and outscoring the Football Ferns 21-1.
Bet options to could be Canada to win in a parlay (-371), Canada to win and score 2+ (-200), Canada to win and under 4 (-150) or Canada to win on the spread -1.5 (-125).
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: CAN -1.5 (-125)
Spain vs Japan Prediction
11 am EST
Spain Preview
The men’s team may have just lifted the Euro trophy, but the women’s team has seen plenty of success in recent years too. They also beat England in their last major tournament, last summer, beating England 1-0 in the World Cup Final, but then earlier lost to England in the 2022 Euros in the quarterfinals, which saw England go on to win the tournament.
They’ll be looking to be the first nation to win the World Cup and Olympics back-to-back while also being in their first Olympics.
In 2024 Spain is 7-0-1 outscoring opponents 23-4 in all comps. Go further back and they’ve lost just 4 times in 35 games being 30-1-4.
In their last 11 games, they’ve scored multiple goals in 10 of them and won by multiple goals 8/11.
Star players include two Ballon d’Or winners in Aitana Bonmati the Barcelona star who controls the midfield for La Roja as well as mid/forward Alexia Putellas also of Barcelona.
Japan Preview
Japan comes in on a 3-game win streak winning 4-0, 4-1 and 2-0 over Ghana and twice vs New Zealand.
Further back they’re just 5-1-3 in 9, but had won 10 straight before that. Only once in 25 games has Japan not found the back of the net.
The Over 2.5 has gone 4-2 in their last 6.
H2H
Spain may have won the 2023 WC but Japan beat them 4-0 in the Group Stage despite only having 23%. Surely Spain will be fully focused for this rematch. La Roja had been 3-1-0 in the only other meetings.
I can see a high-scoring match here. There’s been at least 2 goals in 11 straight Spain games and 3+ in 8/11, plus they’ve allowed 2 goals each to Czechia and Denmark in 2/3 recent games. Could be BTTS (-120) or just the Over.
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: Over 2.5 (-143)
Germany vs Australia Prediction
1 pm EST
Germany Preview
The Germans have been winning and scoring of late. Their last game was 4-0 over Austria and they’ve won 7/8 outscoring opponents 19-8 in that time.
They have conceded in 5/6 so BTTS bets have been cashing. And it’s not like top-level teams have been scoring on them. It’s the likes of Iceland (3), Poland, (1) Poland (1), Iceland (1) and Austria (2).
Go further back and they’re 10-1-2 in 13 games. One of those losses, was to France, 2-1.
They will be missing star midfielder Lena Oberdorf who is out injured, set to be replaced by
Janina Minge from Wolfsburg.
Australia Preview
It’s hard to judge the Matildas, winners of bronze in the last Olympics and semifinalists in last year’s World Cup. If we look at their 2024 form they have:
- OLY Qualifying: 3-0 win Uzbekistan
- OLY Qualifying: 10-0 win Uzbekistan
- FRI: 2-0 win Mexico
- FRI: 1-1 draw China
- FRI: 2-0 win China
- FRI: 2-1 loss Canada
In fact Australia’s last 3 losses in their past 11 games have all come to Canada. Something to consider should the sides cross paths. That’s a good 4-1-1 recent record but big wins over Uzbekistan are irrelevant here
The biggest player news from the Matildas is that they’ll be missing superstar Sam Kerr, out with an ACL injury.
H2H
The Germans are 3-1-0 all-time vs Australia but the only recent meeting was a 5-2 friendly win in 2021.
No Kerr, vs a strong German team may be too big of a loss.
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: GER win (-154)
Nigeria vs Brazil Prediction
1 pm EST
Nigeria Preview
Got knocked out of the Round of 16 at the World Cup last year in penalties to England after drawing 0-0.
And that stands as their only defeat in any competition in their last 15 games going back to February 2023.
Nigeria games are often tight with the Under 2.5 going 4-0 and 8-4 of late.
Brazil Preview
As Canarinhas have won three in a row, 4-0, 4-0 and 1-1 (pks) vs Japan in the SheBeleives Cup. That’s good knowledge for their group stage game here when they’ll play Japan again.
The two 4-0 wins though were vs Jamaica.
Overall they’re 9-0-2 in 11 and have scored in all but 1 of those (1-0 loss USA).
Marta may not be the force she once was at 38, but she’s still going for Brazil and is 10th in the all-time scoring charts for women’s soccer. This will be her last tournament and makes her 6th Olympic appearance this year. She has 5 goals in 13 games for the Orlando Pride.
Brazil has tons of talent but have not won this competition ever and last won a medal way back in 2008 (silver) and have never won a major tournament not hosted in South America. They also didn’t make it out of the group stage in last year’s World Cup finishing behind France and Jamaica.
H2H
These nations haven’t met since the 2008 Olympics where Brazil won 3-1. Otherwise Brazil won 4-3 in ET in the 1999 WC.
Brazil just drew 1-1 with another Olympic side and Nigeria has played a ton of tight games while rarely losing in the past year.
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: Under 2.5 (+105)
France vs Colombia Prediction
3 pm EST
France Preview
The hosts, semifinalists in the 2022 Euros, and quarterfinalists in the World Cup will be looking to take the next step on their home soil here.
Since losing in PKs to Australia in last summer’s World Cup France is 10-1-3 but 2/3 losses have come in 2/3 most recent games in Euro qualifying losing 3-1 to Ireland (did rotate their squad) and 2-1 to England. In between they beat Sweden 2-1.
BTTS & Over 2.5 is 4-0 in France games and they’ve only not scored 3 times in 18 games.
And they have plenty of players capable of doing so with Amandien Henry, Grace Geyoro, Kadidiatou Diani, Eugénie Le Sommer and Marie-Antoinette Katoto
Colombia Preview
Colombia may not be among the favorites and own the 4th worst odds to win outright but did make the quarters in the World Cup.
Las Chicas Superpoderosas lost 2-1 to Ecuador in their last game but won 3-0, 2-0, 3-0 and 1-0 in games prior, but … versus likes Venezuela (twice), Guatemala and Mexico.
Colombia is 7-0-3 in 10 but other losses vs top teams like USA (3-0) and Brazil (1-0) in that time.
Watch out for Real Madrid forward Linda Caicedo who is their star player on the side.
H2H
4 all-time meetings.
- 2023 FRI – France 5-2 win
- 2016 OLY – France 4-0 win
- 2015 WC – Colombia 2-0 win
- 2012 OLY – France 1-0 win
On paper, this looks like a France win and likely by a couple on their home soil.
For better odds, perhaps the BTTS at +100 odds is better, or France to win and BTTS (+210).
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: BTTS (+100)
USA vs Zambia Prediction
USWNT Preview
At 3 pm EST it’s the biggest mismatch of the opening round with 5th-ranked USA playing 64th-ranked Zambia. The Copper Queens are the lowest ranked nation participating, with Nigeria being the next lowest at 36th.
It’s a new era for the USMNT with a new coach, Emma Hayes leading her first competitive games this tournament having only been in charge for 4 games, taking over a team who suffered their worst World Cup ever, going out in the Round of 16 to Sweden last summer. Player-wise, one of the most well-known players in Women’s Soccer, Alex Morgan was left off of the squad
USMNT are the top favorites for gold, however. have not won this competition since 2012. In the last Olympic Games, they won bronze.
USA was Knocked out of Round of 16 at World Cup losing in PKs to Sweden after 0-0 draw last summer.
The US drew their last warm-up game, a friendly with Costa Rica 0-0 but had won 8 straight before that, though 2 went to PKs against Canada.
Among those 8 wins though were many Olympic participants:
- 2-2 (pk win) Canada
- 2-1 win Japan
- 1-0 win Brazil
- 2-2 (pk win) Canada
- 3-0 win Colombia
In their last 23 games in all comps they are 19-2-2 and only 3 times have they not scored.
Zambia Preview
Since losing 5-0 to Spain in the World Cup, the Copper Queens are 10-3-2.
They’re 4-2-1 in their past 7, but just 1-2-1 in their past 4 and that 1 win needed extra-time. Their last game was 1-1 with New Zealand, another lower-ranked nation in the tournament.
Zambia is usually good for a goal, having scored in 13/15 in regulation going back to that Spain loss. And many of those goals come from superstar Barbra Banda. Banda is tied for the NWSL’s scoring lead with 12 goals. But she’s done so in just 12 games, compared to 16 games for the co-leader Temwa Chawinga, so has the best scoring rate at a goal per game in the league.
But they also boast another top attacker in Racheal Kundananji.
In the last Olympics Banda scored back-to-back hat-tricks and she’s always worth a look for scoring or shot prop bets.
Zambia head coach Bruce Mwape was banned from having private conversations with his players for allegations of sexual misconduct, however, he’s still here and coaching, but can’t have one on one interactions with players. He almost didn’t get a visa to enter France.
Zambia was 3rd in their World Cup group last year behind Japan and Spain suffering heavy 3-0 an 5-0 losses but beat Costa Rica 3-1.
H2H
This will be the first-ever meeting between the sides.
And oddsmakers are expecting a USA massacre with USA -2000 on the moneyline at Bet365 and an even bigger -4000 at CZR. Which makes this game basically unbettable. Even USA at -2.5 comes in at (-175).
You’d have to get very creative in a SGP with say USA HT/FT, to win by 3, keep a clean sheet, or more to make it worthwhile.
As a single bet, perhaps USA to win and BTTS at +250. Banda will always give Zambia a chance. But considering BTTS is +225 on it’s own why even risk picking a winner just to win it from +225 to +250.
- Women’s Olympic Soccer Predictions: BTTS (+225)
Those are my leans for all of these games. I’d much rather watch these teams for a game or two before going in strong on straight bets for each game. So let’s create a parlay.
- CAN to win
- SPA vs JAP over 1.5
- GER to score
- (-130) Bet365
Ryan Métivier is a seasoned editor, writer and communications professional with years of experience in all fields. When it comes to covering sports, he’s written for numerous outlets and organizations including the OHL, CHL, SportsXpress, Sports Betting Dime, Cleveland.com, MassLive, FanSided and others.
While he’ll always cheer for his hometown Toronto teams, when it comes to betting, his only allegiance is his bankroll. Ryan specializes in global soccer, the NFL and the NHL, but if there is a bet to be made, he’ll make it. As the founder of Shred The Spread, Ryan focuses on combining storylines, trends, analytics and good bankroll management to creating simple bets that make sense.
When not making a case for why both teams will score in an MLS soccer match, he can be found focusing his efforts on fitness, attempting to learn Spanish, cooking or planning his travel adventure.
