KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City NWSL midfielder Desiree Scott is heading to her third straight Olympic tournament.
Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) unveiled on Wednesday the 18 athletes nominated to represent Canada in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020 from July 21 to Aug. 6.
“For me, team selection was a question of picking the right blend of players across the pitch, so that we can progress through the six games at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament ready to win,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team head coach. “I know these players will do everything in their power to make Canada proud. With hard work, the right mindset and a strong belief in our individual and collective ability, Canada can give any team a really difficult game and ultimately succeed in the Olympic Games.”
Scott has appeared in five games, including four starts, for KC NWSL in its inaugural season in Kansas City.
As the reigning back-to-back Olympic bronze medalists, Canada will kick off its Tokyo 2020 journey when by facing Japan at 7:30 p.m. local (5:30a.m. CT) in the opening match in Sapporo.
Canada will next face Chile at 4:30 p.m. local (2:30 a.m. CT) on July 24, before wrapping up the group stage against Great Britain at 8 p.m. local (6 a.m. CT) on July 27 in Kashima.
From 12 nations in three groups, the top-eight nations advance to the Olympic Quarterfinals with the top two from each of the groups and the top two third place finishers.
The Quarterfinal winners will advance to the Semifinals with the winners playing in the Gold Medal Final at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium and the other two Semifinalists playing for the Bronze Medal.
Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Soccer Team qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship in Texas and California in January 2020, earning Canada its fourth consecutive Olympic berth in women’s soccer.
“It is always an honour to represent Canada at the Olympic Games, and I am excited to be returning to my fourth Olympic Games,” Captain Christine Sinclair said. “The Olympic Games have played an important part in the history of Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team, and I am looking forward to do whatever I can to help take this team back to the podium and make history again. Our team is in good spot, we are excited, we are hungry, and we are ready to go.”
Canada is one of just five nations to qualify for each of the past four Women’s Olympic Football Tournaments. Canada also is the only nation in the world to reach the podium at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 in women’s football.
