The Nadeshiko, despite home ground advantage, failed to win a medal at the 2020 Games but a strong showing in last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup indicates their Paris 2024 Group C opponents will have to tread warily against the East Asian side.

Japan Factfile
Previous Appearances: 5
Best Finish: Second (2012)
۲۰۲۰ Record: Quarter-finalists
How They Got There: Defeated DPR Korea in Asian Playoff
Head Coach: Futoshi Ikeda (JPN)
Fun Fact: Japan have only missed the 2000 and 2016 editions since women’s football made its debut at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games

Defeat to Sweden in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Olympics was a bitter pill for Japan to swallow but the Nadeshiko have turned their fortunes around since then.
Their FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 campaign may have ended with defeat to Sweden at the last eight stage but Japan played some exciting football with head coach Futoshi Ikeda successfully integrating emerging talent with experienced stalwarts.

Such was the quality of their football that Japan thumped eventual champions Spain 4-0 in the group stage with the two sides set to face off again in their opening Paris 2024 match.
The European team’s World Cup triumph meant they joined Japan as the only teams to have lifted all three of FIFA’s women’s titles and both will be determined to complete their collection, with the Nadeshiko’s best being the silver medal won at London 2012 while Spain will be – incredibly – making their Olympics debut.
Both sides, however, will have to be wary of Brazil – still in search of their first gold medal – and Nigeria, who are making their return to the Games after missing the previous three editions.

Leading Japan’s charge will be defender Saki Kumagai while FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa will be aiming to replicate her form from last year.