As the USA hopes to maintain their status as the no. 1 women's side in the world, the Stars and Stripes will have 11 other teams hoping to spoil their Olympic plans this summer. We take a look at the reigning champions, plus hosts Brazil and potential challengers Canada ahead of the upcoming games set to kick off in less than 48 hours' time.
Brazil women's team: Group E fixtures, TV schedule, Rio 2016 squad
As hosts, Brazil will naturally have more pressure on their shoulders. Like the men's team, the women's side have never won a gold medal and as such, fans will be expecting to see one - or ideally, both - of their football sides win it on home turf this month.
Just as Neymar is the star player for the men's side, Marta will be the one to look out for the women's squad. The Verdeamarela ace is her nation's all-time top goalscorer with 103 goals in just 109 appearances but has yet to win a World Cup or an Olympic gold with her country. At 30, Marta, nicknamed the "female Pele" by fans will be hoping to put an end to this wait in her own backyard.
Marta, with 15 goals, is also the top goalscorer in Women's World Cup tournaments. What impact will she be able to make for Brazil at the Olympics?
Here are the fixtures for Brazil, who kick things off with a clash against China at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange on August 3rd:
*Fixtures are shown in local (Brazilian) time
Here is Brazil's squad for the upcoming tournament:
Goalkeepers: Bárbara (Unattached), Aline (Unattached)
Defenders: Fabiana (Dalian Quanjian), Monica (Orlando Pride), Rafaelle (Changchun Zhuoyue), Tamires (Fortuna Hjørring), Poliana (PSG), Érika (Unattached)
Midfielders: Thaisa (Unattached), Formiga (Unattached), Marta (FC Rosengård), Andressa (Houston Dash)
Forwards: Débora (Dalian Quanjian), Andressa Alves (Barcelona), Cristiane (PSG), Raquel Fernandes (Changchun Zhuoyue), Beatriz (Steel Red Angels)
KEY STAT: Brazil have also featured in every single Olympics women's tournament. Their best ever result was two runners-up spots in 2004 and 2008.
Canada women's team: Group F fixtures, TV schedule, Rio 2016 squad
It may surprise many, but Canada are actually new on the Olympics scene. They are only making their third appearance this summer after their debut back in 2008. John Herdman's side has a good mix of experienced players and rising stars - and one fans will have their eye on is none other than Christine Sinclair.
At 33, Sinclair will be featuring in her third Olympics tournament. Not surprisingly, she played a huge role in Canada securing their spot as they rolled through their CONCACAF qualifiers without much fuss and they will be hoping to do even better than the bronze medal they secured back in 2012.
Experienced striker Christine Sinclair will be hoping to fire Canada to glory. The veteran attacker is only second behind USWNT star Abby Wambach for most international goals scored with 162 vs. Wambach's 184
Here are the fixtures for Canada, who kick things off with a clash against Australia at the Arena Corinthians on August 3rd:
*Fixtures are shown in local (Brazilian) time
Here is Canada's squad for the upcoming tournament:
Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbé (Washington Spirit), Sabrina D'Angelo (Western New York Flash)
Defenders: Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash), Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia University), Shelina Zadorsky (Washington Spirit), Rhian Wilkinson (Unattached), Josée Bélanger (Orlando Pride), Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia University)
Midfielders: Rebecca Quinn (Duke University), Diana Matheson (Washington Spirit), Desiree Scott (FC Kansas City), Sophie Schmidt (1. FFC Frankfurt), Jessie Fleming (UCLA)
Forwards: Deanne Rose (Scarborough GS United), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns), Melissa Tancredi (KIF Örebro), Nichelle Prince (Ohio State University), Janine Beckie (Houston Dash)
KEY STAT: Canada scored a whopping 24 goals in CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers, which was the most out of any side featuring in the tournament
USA's women's team: Group G fixtures, TV schedule, Rio 2016 squad
One can't talk about women's football without mentioning the USWNT. Jill Ellis's ladies come into this Olympic games as not just the reigning World Cup champions, but also will be aiming to make it a fourth straight Olympic win this summer in Rio.
The Stars and Stripes easily blew away the competition during in the CONCACAF qualifiers by cruising past Mexico, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico in the group stages, crushing Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 in the final four, and powering past northern rivals Canada 2-0 in the final.
Naturally, there are quite a number of stars on this team, including Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, and Hope Solo. Solo was in between the posts for the USWNT's World Cup win last year and part of their gold-medal winning squads in 2008 and 2012, and will again be the star shot-stopper for Team USA in a group alongside France, Colombia, and New Zealand.
Experienced keeper Hope Solo will be hoping to help the team to a fourth straight (and her third consecutive) gold medal in Rio
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Here are the fixtures for the USWNT, who kick things off with a clash against New Zealand at the Mineirão on August 3rd:
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*Fixtures are shown in local (Brazilian) time
Here is the USA's squad for the upcoming tournament:
Goalkeepers: Hope Solo (Seattle Reign FC), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
Defenders: Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Kelley O'Hara (Sky Blue FC), Whitney Engen (Boston Breakers), Meghan Klingenberg (Portland Thorns FC), Julie Johnston (Chicago Red Stars), Ali Krieger (Washington Spirit)
Midfielders: Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign FC), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC)
Forwards: Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride), Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit)
KEY STAT: The USWNT have won a medal in every single one of their Olympic tournaments since the inaugural edition in 1996 (four golds and one silver).
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