Here are the top Olympics men’s soccer group stage games to watch

With the U.S. men’s soccer team in the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, the men’s tournament will have more attention here than usual.

Here’s a look at the Americans’ group games, plus five other notable matchups to watch.

All listed times are local to Philadelphia. Along with TV coverage, all of NBC’s online streaming of the Olympics is available free with pay-TV provider authentication at NBCOlympics.com or via subscription on Peacock.

Wednesday, 3 p.m., at Marseille (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

This could be one of the biggest games of the tournament, and it’s on its opening day. France is loaded with home-team expectations and serious talent, led by strikers Michael Olise and Alexandre Lacazette. It will be backed by a huge crowd at the Stade Vélodrome, one of Europe’s most atmospheric venues.

The U.S. likely won’t win, but it will be a great test for this young team. And it will get the hardest game out of the way first.

» READ MORE: The Union’s Jack McGlynn makes the U.S. Olympic soccer team, opening the door to stardom

Saturday, 1 p.m., at Marseille (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

The MLS contingent on the U.S. team will see two familiar faces across the field: the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Jay Herdman and Minnesota United’s Michael Boxall, one of the Kiwis’ overage players and their captain. (Another Kiwi Olympian, Finn Surman, joined the Portland Timbers last week.)

Herdman is the son of Toronto FC manager John Herdman, who previously managed Canada’s men’s team and its women’s team before that. Jay was born in New Zealand because John was coaching there at the time. The younger Herdman kept his affinity for the country and chose to play for it.

July 30, 1 p.m., at Saint-Étienne (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

While the France game is the Americans’ biggest for spectacle, this one is the biggest for stakes. They should beat New Zealand and presumably would book a quarterfinal berth with a win here.

It won’t be easy, since Guinea’s squad has two big-time players in midfielders Naby Keïta (Werder Bremen, ex-Liverpool player) and Ilaix Moriba (RB Leipzig, ex-Barcelona player).

But Union midfielder Jack McGlynn and former Union midfielder Paxten Aaronson will relish those matchups. They can call sporting director Ernst Tanner for tips, since he launched Keïta’s journey to the big time at Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg a decade ago.

» READ MORE: Nathan Harriel’s years of hard work pay off with a place on the U.S. Olympic men’s soccer team

Wednesday, 9 a.m., at Saint-Étienne (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

The Olympic men’s soccer tournament starts two days before the opening ceremony to fit all the games in. That’s one reason why you’re about to see three games on Wednesday’s slate.

The other reason is that the draw put many of the group stage’s good games on that day.

Argentina’s team is loaded and a gold-medal favorite. The attack has young phenoms Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) and Claudio Echeverri (River Plate) and a veteran backstop in centerback Nicolás Otamendi.

Morocco’s team is serious, too, with players from big-time clubs in France, Spain, Belgium, and Italy. The biggest name is captain Achraf Hakimi, a right back who gets into the attack often. He plays his club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain, so he’ll be right at home at a tournament in France.

Wednesday, 1 p.m., at Lyon (Universo)

Iraq is in the Olympics for the first time since 2016, but it’s still remembered for its Cinderella run to the 2004 semifinals. Ukraine is in the Olympics for the first time as an independent country, which dates back to the 1990s.

And as you can imagine, a stage like this is a big deal for both countries for reasons well beyond sports.

» READ MORE: Paxten Aaronson makes it three players with Union ties on the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team

Wednesday, 3 p.m., at Paris (Universo)

Israel is in its first major men’s soccer tournament of any kind since the 1976 Games. That drought, plus the fraught current moment for the country and the world, make for a big story. On the field, MLS followers will see a familiar face in Charlotte FC striker Liel Abada.

Mali’s squad is led by forward Boubacar Traoré of the English Premier League’s Wolverhampton. There’s also a player with a surprising local tie: defender Mohamed Cisset is a Penn State rising sophomore from Montreal. He played 18 games for the Nittany Lions last fall.

Saturday, 9 a.m., at Bordeaux (Telemundo 62)

Just a few days after Spain’s senior men’s team won its fourth European Championship, its under-23s will aim for the nation’s first Olympic gold since 1992 in Barcelona.

Barcelona’s club has contributed the top two names to this La Roja squad, 17-year-old centerback Pau Cubarsí — who’s already played 24 games for the first team — and 21-year-old forward Fermin López.

The Dominican Republic is Concacaf’s second team in the field, a remarkable feat for a nation whose senior squad has never qualified for a Gold Cup. Its star player is left back Junior Firpo of England’s Leeds United. He chose to play for the team after being born in the Dominican Republic and growing up in Spain.

Update: Leeds pulled Firpo out on July 23, the day before the Olympics started. Josué Baez was elevated from the reserves, and no replacement reserve was named.

July 30, 11 a.m., at Lyon (Universo)

On the final day of the group stage, always look for a matchup with stakes. This one should have them. The winner probably will finish second in the group behind Argentina and reach the quarterfinals.