The top Olympics women’s soccer group stage games to watch, highlighted by a USWNT-Germany clash

It hasn’t been a full year yet since the end of the last World Cup, and the stars of the women’s soccer world are back together for a big tournament. Buckle up, because these Olympics might have the most stacked field of any Summer Games since women’s soccer became an official event in 1996.

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.

Thursday, 3 p.m. at Nice (USA Network, Universo)

Don’t for one second think Zambia is a lightweight opener for the Americans. Copper Queens strikers Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji are fast, skilled, and prolific scorers. They’ve shown it playing this year in the NWSL, for the Orlando Pride and Bay FC respectively, and that means U.S. players have seen them firsthand.

Expect Tierna Davidson, Naomi Girma, and their teammates to be on high alert right out of the gate, and for good reason.

» READ MORE: Five years after her World Cup debut, Tierna Davidson is finally a locked-in USWNT starter

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

This is the heavyweight clash of the Americans’ group, a matchup of the two most decorated nations in women’s soccer history.

Germany shockingly fell in the group stage of last year’s World Cup, then rebounded with a third-place finish in last winter’s UEFA Nations League. But a surprising loss at Iceland this month in qualifying for next year’s European Championship set off alarm bells.

The U.S. can win this game, and in its locker room will believe it should. If the Americans’ new young stars deliver, it will be a big statement.

» READ MORE: Lynn Williams’ selflessness as a two-time Olympic alternate makes her a U.S. team role model

July 31, 1 p.m. at Marseille (E!, Universo)

A year after a run to the semifinals of a World Cup it cohosted, Australia arrives at the Olympics without superstar striker Sam Kerr due to an ACL injury. The Matildas have very good attackers in Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord, but they aren’t at Kerr’s level.

U.S.-Australia games are always spectacles on the field, and this one should be too. But even Down Under they’ll likely tell you the Americans are favored here.

» READ MORE: USWNT goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher remains a quiet leader, even with all her big-game heroics

Thursday, 11 a.m. at Nantes (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

The Olympics women’s soccer tournament starts a day before the Opening Ceremony to fit all the games in, and the first one is a firecracker of a matchup.

Though Spain wowed the world in winning the World Cup last year, La Roja wasn’t in full gear all the way through the tournament. In fact, the result that stood out most for a while was its group stage finale: a 4-0 poleaxing of a loss to Japan.

Not only did the Nadeshiko win the game in a rout, but they did so in extraordinary style: four goals on seven shots with just 23% of the game’s possession

This is the first rematch since then, and the whole world has it circled in ink.

» READ MORE: After two years of waiting, Sam Coffey will finally be on the USWNT’s big stage at the Olympics

Thursday, 3 p.m. at Lyon (Telemundo 62)

Will this be the year France’s stars finally deliver a big tournament? Les Bleues have the talent and the home-field advantage. But while their group is the easiest of the tournament’s three, it isn’t simply easy.

Colombia has been rising fast up the world’s ranks, led by dynamic forwards Linda Caicedo and Mayra Ramirez. They powered Las Cafeteras to the quarterfinals of last year’s World Cup, toppling Germany along the way, and could be primed to pull off more upsets this summer.

» READ MORE: The U.S. women’s soccer team is Lindsey Horan’s to lead now ahead of the Paris Olympics

Sunday, 11 a.m. at Paris (Universo)

These teams face each other often in friendlies, especially at the U.S.-hosted SheBelieves Cup, but they rarely meet in official competitions. This will be their first such matchup since the 2012 Olympics.

If Spain wins their group, this game will likely determine who finishes second. But if Spain slips, this game could have a huge impact. The many star players on the field will include Brazil superstar Marta and Adriana (both of the Orlando Pride) and Japan’s Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) and Hinata Miazawa (Manchester United).

» READ MORE: Emma Hayes aims to answer an eternal USWNT question: Slow down more or shoot first?

Sunday, 1 p.m. at Nice (Universo)

This game screams trap for Australia, and the Matildas know it. They have the talent to beat Zambia, but if Banda or Kundananji score early, look out.

The stakes will be even higher because two of the tournament’s three third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals. Each group has at least three teams good enough to advance, so a tie in this game could send both home early.

» READ MORE: Briana Scurry knows the kids she inspired as a player are now U.S. team stars

July 31, 3 p.m. at Nice (Universo)

How good will Canada really be in the post-Christine Sinclair era? The Canucks made the semifinals of the Gold Cup earlier this year, but didn’t play a big-time team until the U.S. in the semifinals.

We’ll learn a lot about them this summer. The opening game against New Zealand should be a win, then comes a clash with host France.

How Canada responds after that will be fascinating to watch in the group finale, especially if its veteran attackers — Janine Beckie, Adriana Leon, Nichelle Prince, and Jessie Fleming — can keep pace with Colombia’s firepower.

» READ MORE: Sophia Smith isn’t Alex Morgan, but the USWNT’s whole attack is different, too