The U.S. Women's National Team looks to get back to winning gold as the Olympics soccer tournament gets underway.
Captain Lindsey Horan and the USWNT start their Olympics journey on Thursday, July 25 against Zambia at the Stade de Nice in Nice, France. The match on France's beautiful southern coast is a key one for the U.S., as it comes before high-profile matchups against Australia and Germany, meaning it is crucial for the U.S. to get three points before facing the tougher competition.
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The U.S. will have its hands full defensively though, as NWSL leading goal scorer Barbra Banda plays for Zambia and will know personally how to beat some of the U.S. backline playing domestically.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch it, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
USWNT vs. Zambia live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this 2024 Olympics match on national TV in the U.S.:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | USA Network | Fubo, NBC Sports app/website, Peacock |
USA: This game is available for live broadcast on NBC's USA Network. Streaming options are available on Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new users, and Peacock.
What time does USWNT vs. Zambia kick off?
This 2024 Olympics group stage match takes place at the Stade de Nice in Nice, France and kicks off on Thursday, July 25 at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across the US:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Thur, Jul. 25 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Thur, Jul. 25 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Thur, Jul. 25 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Thur, Jul. 25 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Thur, Jul. 25 | 11:00 a.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Thur, Jul. 25 | 9:00 a.m. |
USWNT vs. Zambia lineups, team news
USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has a couple of key decisions to make. There is a ton of talent and versatility in the front-three positions, with Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Jaedyn Shaw, Crystal Dunn, and Lynn Williams all available for selection. Finding the right players to get the U.S. off to a great start will be crucial.
Additionally, who will partner Naomi Girma in central defense is an open question. Will it be Tierna Davidson or Emily Sonnett?
USWNT predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Naeher (GK) — Fox, Girma, Davidson, Nighswonger — Coffey, Horan, Lavelle — Rodman, Smith, Swanson.
This is Zambia's second consecutive Olympics appearance, and after their first World Cup win in 2023, the Copper Queens look set to make a big impact in France. Barbra Banda is one of the top strikers in the world, and Grace Chanda plies her trade in Spain with Madrid CFF.
Zambia predicted XI (4-3-3 right to left): Musole (GK) — Siamfuko, Zulu, Tembo, Mweemba — Chilufya, Chanda, Wilombe — Kundananji, Banda, Nachula.