Does the female tournament has the same rules as the men in that you can only bring U-23 players with three over age players or do they bring the top team.
The restriction to 18 players is the only significant difference between the Women's World Cup and Olympic Games roster rules.
How are the alternates used for the Olympics? Will they travel to London with the teams and get rostered if someone gets injured during the games?
the official organizing regulations aren't on the olympic or FIFA sites yet, but here are some gleanings from the 2008 rules on rosters. I suspect they are mostly the same. and and so, it depends on how magnanimous the association is that sends the players. The Olympic movement only pays for 18 players and 7 staff. And it appears that even if the alternates went to the games, they might not get into all venues and areas. they might not even get into the Olympic villages. I seem to recall that some associations (maybe even the USA) left the alternates home unless there was an injury.
I have a pdf with the regulations downloaded a few months ago ( copy and paste makes it look bad sorry) 4. In addition to the 18 players offi cially enrolled for the fi nal competition(s), each association is allowed, if deemed necessary, to select a maximum of four alternate players per team, who shall appear in the provisional and the fi nal list of players and offi cials, but shall not be offi cially enrolled for the competition and therefore shall not be allowed to play. The following applies to these four alternate players: a) They are not among the 18 players offi cially enrolled in their team’s list of players and offi cials. They are not allowed to compete in the fi nal competition unless the provisions of art. 10, par. 4c) apply; b) The purpose of selecting alternate players is, in principle, to have them available should one or more of the offi cially enrolled players sustain an injury or in the case of force majeure once the fi nal competitions have started; c) Any request to change the status of an alternate player in order to enrol him in the offi cial list of 18 players shall be made following approval and confi rmation from the relevant FIFA committees and by following the LOCOG Procedure regarding Emergency Medical Replacement. Once the replacement request has been approved by all parties, the relevant form shall be submitted in writing to the LOCOG Accreditation Centre(s) by the Chef de Mission of the respective NOC or other offi cial NOC representative authorised to do so by the IOC Athlete Replacement Policy; d) The alternate players shall be numbered 19 to 22, with the number 22 being reserved for the alternate goalkeeper; e) All costs incurred by any alternate player (airfares, board, lodging, etc.) shall be borne by either the relevant association or the respective NOC.
5. The numbers on the back of the shirts shall correspond to the numbers indicated on the offi cial team list, which shall be submitted to the FIFA general secretariat, together with copies of the players’ passports, using the offi cial form, by 9 July 2012. This list of 18 players and four alternate players shall show the full surname(s), all fi rst names, popular name, name on the shirt, date of birth, passport number, club and country of the club, and position of each player. Only these 18 players (except in cases of force majeure recognised by the FIFA Organising Committee, cf. art. 10, par. 4b)) shall be permitted to compete in the fi nal competitions. 6. All 18 players shall be named in the starting list for each match (eleven selected players and seven substitutes). Up to a maximum of three of these substitutes may take the place of the selected players at any time during the match. None of the four alternate players, unless their status has been changed in accordance with art. 10, par. 4c) and they are thus offi cially enrolled in the offi cial list of 18 players, may be included in the starting list for a match or be seated on the substitutes’ bench during a match. 7. No more than 14 people (seven substitutes and seven offi cials) shall be allowed to sit on the substitutes’ bench. 8. Before the start of the fi nal competitions, all players listed must prove their identity, nationality and age by producing both their legally valid individual passport with photograph (stating day, month and year of birth) and their birth certifi cate. Any player who fails to submit these documents shall not be allowed to take part in the respective fi nal competition. 9. If any discrepancies are detected in a player’s date of birth, the FIFA Organising Committee shall apply the provisions determined by the FIFA Executive Committee for such cases and decide the consequences that such a violation shall have on the rest of the competition. The FIFA Organising Committee shall then forward the fi le to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. 10. The offi cial lists of 18 players and four alternate players shall be published by the FIFA general secretariat.