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The 2024 Olympic Games kicks off today in Paris, with seven of our Gunners in action during the women's football tournament. 

Emily Fox, Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Mariona Caldentey, Laia Codina and Cloe Lacasse will go head-to-head for Olympic glory this summer, with the gold medal match set for 10 August at PSG's home: Parc des Princes. 

Get to grips with the summer's football with our Arsenal guide to the 2024 Olympics:

Steph Catley will captain the Matildas this summer at her third Olympic Games, with Caitlin Foord also becoming a three-time Olympian this summer. Despite being only 22, this will be Kyra Cooney-Cross' second Olympic Games.

All three featured for Australia in their best-ever Olympic performance in 2021, when the United States beat them to the bronze medal in a seven-goal thriller.

Emily Fox's ACL injury ruled her out of the USWNT's last Olympic run so our right back will make her Olympic debut in Paris. This is also the first Olympics for Cloe Lacasse, who'll represent the defending champions Canada. 

This is Spain's debut in the tournament, so Laia Codina and Mariona Caldentey will join their fellow FIFA World Cup winners for the very first time at the tournament. 

Mariona Caldentey and Laia Codina's Olympic journey begins on July 25 when Spain face Japan. Their following group games are against Nigeria (28 July) and Brazil (31 July).

For Emily Fox, meanwhile, the USWNT kick off their group against Zambia (July 25), before facing Germany (July 28) and Australia (July 31).

Before our Matildas go up against their American teammate, they'll meet Germany (July 25) and Zambia (July 28).

Cloe Lacasse and Canada start their Olympic campaign against New Zealand (July 25), before playing France (July 28) and Colombia (July 31).

Following the conclusion of the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the two best third-place finishers will progress to the quarter-finals on August 3. 

Semi-finals take place on August 6 to decide the match-ups for the gold medal and bronze medal fixtures. 

Group games in full

Thursday, July 25
Canada (Lacasse) v New Zealand - 4pm UK | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne
Spain (Mariona, Codina) v Japan - 4pm UK | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Germany v Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross) - 6pm UK | Stade Velodrome, Marseille
United States (Fox) v Zambia - 8pm UK | Allianz Riviera, Nice

Sunday, July 28
Spain (Mariona, Codina) v Nigeria - 6pm UK | Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross) v Zambia - 6pm UK | Allianz Riviera, Nice
France v Canada (Lacasse) - 8pm UK | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne
United States (Fox) v Germany - 8pm UK | Stade Velodrome, Marseille

Wednesday, July 31
Brazil v Spain (Mariona, Codina) - 4pm UK | Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Australia (Catley, Foord, Cooney-Cross) v United States (Fox) - 6pm UK | Stade Velodrome, Marseille
Colombia v Canada (Lacasse) - 8pm UK | Allianz Riviera, Nice
 

This is only the eighth edition of Olympic women's football, as the sport was introduced in the 1996 Atlanta Games. The United States won that inaugural tournament on home soil and continued to flourish, becoming the most successful team in Olympic history.

They managed three successive victories at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Games and have only failed to medal once: in 2016.

Neighbours Canada are the reigning Olympic champions, defeating Sweden in the 2020 final through a dramatic penalty shootout. The nation had previously achieved two bronze medals in 2012 and 2016. 

Stina Blackstenius has scored in two consecutive gold medal matches (in 2016 and 2020) but Sweden have yet to become Olympic champions. The side did not qualify for this summer's tournament.

Australia have never medalled at an Olympic Games but will be looking to improve on their best-ever finish last time around and end on the podium in Paris.