- Australian women have bombed Paris Olympic Games
- Found a recent form against South Korea
- Will be part of a huge change at the Los Angeles Games
For the first time in Olympic history, more quota places will be allocated to women than men when the games land in Los Angeles in 2028.
The International Olympic Committee (CIO) has confirmed that 50.7% of athletes spots – 5333 in total – will go to female athletes, compared to 5167 for men.
This step reflects a broader thrust for gender equality through the Olympic program. The women’s football tournament will go from 12 to 16 teams, while the male competition will reduce from 16 to 12.
This change is aligned with the growing popularity of women’s football in the world – especially in the United States – and prepares the field for an important moment in the history of sport.
Matildas star Mary Fowler, who recently marked Australia’s 2-0 victory over South Korea, will be among those who pave the way.
It was Fowler’s first goal in 14 appearances for Club and Country, and its performance highlighted the growth and quality of women’s football.
Mary Fowler and Courtney Nevin thank fans following the International Friendly between the Matildas and Korea at McDonald Jones Stadium
The women’s football tournament will go from 12 to 16 teams to the Los An Olympic Games
“It’s really promising for us … Getting good results and being consistent in these two games was really important for us,” she said after the match.
Changes in the 2028 took place 32 years after the first women’s Olympic football tournament in Atlanta in 1996.
The United States has won this inaugural event and has since claimed a record of five Olympic titles, including the gold medal in Paris last year.
IOC sports director, Kit McConnell, said the new format was designed to reflect the rapid growth of women’s team sports, especially in football.
“We wanted to do something to reflect this growth and also, the United States being the home of the highest level of popularity in women’s football,” he said.
Women’s football has long been a competition with a full resistance to the Olympic Games, unlike the male tournament, which remains an event for those under 23 with only three players of authorized attraction.
This contrast contributed to the growing prestige of the female tournament on the world scene.
Expansion is not limited to football. Water-polo will see parity for the first time, with 12 female teams corresponding to the total of men.
Fans are likely to see more Fowler and Matildas in action in the head of the Olympic Games
Australia, silver medalists in Paris, first participated in the women’s water polo at the Sydney 2000 games, winning gold.
Boxing will also see an additional female weight category, creating an equal number of medal events for men and women.
Los Angeles 2028 will include 351 medal events in all sports – a new record for summer games – with 161 for women, 165 for men and 25 mixed events. It is an increase of six mixed events compared to Paris 2024.
The new mixed team events include golf course, artistic gymnastics, coastal rowing, table tennis and archery.
A highlight planned is the addition of a mixed golf event, which could see the Australian brothers and sisters Minjee and Min Woo Lee side by side for the first time.
The swimming will also evolve, with sprints of 50 m of butterfly, a back and a breaststroke added to the program. The Australians played strongly in these events at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, obtaining several medals, including two gold medals.
