The Rio Olympics actually begin before the opening ceremony
Team USA makes its Rio debut two days before the Games officially open.
The Rio Olympics are scheduled to formally begin on Friday during the opening ceremony in the Maracanã Stadium, though some competitions will have already begun by then.
Among the more than 500 USA athletes walking into the stadium will be the U.S. women’s soccer team. And by that point, the World Cup winners will have already played their first game in the Olympic tournament.
This is because technically the Olympics begin before Friday’s opening ceremony. Both the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments can’t be played within the time constraints of the normal Olympics. Given the number of teams involved, 16 days simply isn’t enough time. Players are physically unable to participate in so many games over such a finite period.
As a result, the women get underway on Wednesday, with the men starting on Thursday. Here’s a full schedule, as the USA women (who begin against New Zealand at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday) look to continue a run of gold medals. Since 2004, the U.S. have triumphed in every Summer Olympics.
Among the 2016 U.S. women’s Rio roster are several players with local ties, including Boston Breakers defender Whitney Engen. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, from Bridgeport, Connecticut (who is a “huge New England Patriots fan“) is making her Olympics debut as a backup for Hope Solo. And midfielder Samantha Mewis, from Hanson, Massachusetts, is in Rio as a roster alternate.
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