How Mary Fowler and her Matildas teammates will help create a world first for the Olympics when the Games go to Los Angeles

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 (IOC) confirmed that 50.7 per cent of athlete spots – 5333 in total – will go to female athletes, compared to 5167 for men.

This milestone reflects a broader push for gender equality across the Olympic program. The women’s football tournament will expand from 12 to 16 teams, while the men’s competition will reduce from 16 to 12. 

This shift aligns with the rising popularity of women’s football globally – especially in the United States – and sets the stage for a significant moment in sporting history.

Matildas star Mary Fowler, who recently scored in Australia’s 2-0 win over South Korea, will be among those leading the way.

 It was Fowler’s first goal in 14 appearances for club and country, and her performance highlighted the growth and quality of women’s football. 

The women’s football tournament will expand from 12 to 16 teams at the LA Olympics in a major boost for women’s football

‘It’s really promising for us… Getting some good results and being consistent in both those games was really important for us,’ she said after the match.

The changes in LA 2028 come 32 years after the first women’s Olympic football tournament in Atlanta in 1996. 

The United States won that inaugural event and have since claimed a record 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, particularly in football. 

‘We wanted to do something to reflect that growth and equally with the United States being the home of the highest level of popularity of women’s football,’ he said.

Women’s football has long been a full-strength competition at the Olympics, unlike the men’s tournament, which remains an under-23 event with only three over-age players allowed. 

This contrast has contributed to the growing prestige of the women’s tournament on the global stage.

The expansion isn’t limited to football. Water polo will see parity for the first time, with 12 women’s teams matching the men’s total.

Fans are likely to get to see more of Fowler and the Matildas in action in the lead-up to the Olympics

 Australia, silver medallists in Paris, first competed in women’s water polo at the 2000 Sydney Games, winning gold. 

Boxing will also see one additional women’s weight class added, creating an equal number of medal events for men and women.

Los Angeles 2028 will feature 351 medal events across all sports – a new Summer Games record – with 161 for women, 165 for men, and 25 mixed events. That’s an increase of six mixed events compared to Paris 2024.

New mixed team events include golf, artistic gymnastics, coastal rowing, table tennis, and archery. 

One anticipated highlight is the addition of a mixed golf teams event, which could see Aussie siblings Minjee and Min Woo Lee competing side by side for the first time.

Swimming will also evolve, with 50m sprints in butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke added to the program. Australians performed strongly in these events at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, securing multiple medals, including two golds.