Short answers, pulled from the story.
Women participated in the Olympic football tournament for the first time during the 1996 Summer Olympics. The final competition occurred on the 1st of August 1996 at Sanford Stadium.
Eight national teams from four continental confederations competed including the United States, China, Brazil, and Japan. Seven best teams qualified based on results from the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup while host nation status altered eligibility rules significantly for several countries.
Five stadiums hosted matches across five American cities including Athens Georgia, Birmingham Alabama, Miami Florida, Orlando Florida, and Washington D.C. Group stage matches occurred in Miami, Orlando, Birmingham, and Washington D.C. Knockout rounds took place exclusively at Sanford Stadium in Athens.
The United States defeated China 2 to 1 to claim inaugural Olympic gold medal. That victory crowned American women as first Olympic champions in football history.
Only eight nations participated so every match carried immense weight. Eight teams drew into two groups of four players each for round-robin play.