In March 2016, it was agreed that the competition would be part of IFAB's trial to allow a fourth substitute to be made during extra time.

[3] The United States, gold medalists for the previous three Games, were eliminated by a penalty shoot-out defeat against Sweden in the quarter-finals.

This marked the first time that the United States did not progress to the semi-finals of a major international tournament.

For the first time since the introduction of the women's tournament in 1996, three matches in the knockout stage were decided by a penalty shoot-out (two quarter-finals and one semi-final).

[19] Notes The draw for the tournament was held on 14 April 2016, 10:30 BRT (UTC−3), at the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro.

[18] On 18 March 2016, the FIFA Executive Committee agreed that the competition would be part of the International Football Association Board's trial to allow a fourth substitute to be made during extra time.