How does postponing the Olympics impact the USWNT?

CARSON, CA - FEBRUARY 09: Ashley Lawrence #10 of Canada chases down Megan Rapinoe #15 of the United States as she takes the ball down field during the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Final game at Dignity Health Sports Park on February 9, 2020 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

This week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be postponed till 2021. How will that impact the USWNT?

It’s official: the Tokyo Olympics won’t be happening this summer.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been pushed back to 2021. This postponement has seemed inevitable in recent days, but when countries like Canada and Australia refused to send their athletes this summer, the IOC really had no choice.

The Olympic tournament is the second-largest event on the women’s soccer calendar, behind only the World Cup. The U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) is looking to become the first team ever to win the Olympic gold medal immediately after winning the World Cup title. How does this postponement impact their chances?

One obvious benefit will be the health and fitness of Alex Morgan. The USWNT superstar is expecting her first child in April, and while Morgan always maintained that she would be available for the 2020 Olympics, the postponement eliminates any concern. She will have an extra year to recover from giving birth and get back into top form.

But the postponement could have a different kind of impact for the aging stars of the USWNT. Carli Lloyd will be 39 when the 2021 tournament kicks off. Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn will be 36 and Ali Krieger will be 37. An additional year without a major tournament makes it even more difficult for these players to stay in top form and earn a spot on the roster, especially when the Olympics roster is already smaller than other major tournaments.

Additionally, postponing the Olympics means there will only be two years between that tournament and the 2023 Women’s World Cup. At some point, Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski has to decide to move on from the older players in favor of the stars of tomorrow. Delaying the Olympic tournament makes it more likely that Andonovski brings in youth earlier. It’s possible that some veterans from the likes of Lloyd, Rapinoe, Sauerbrunn, and Krieger have seen their last major tournament.

The shift in the Olympic calendar is going to impact everyone. For the USWNT, it could be a blessing or a curse. Only time will tell.

Next. Coronavirus pushes soccer calendar into 2021 as Euros, Copa America are postponed. dark

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