The world No. 1 USWNT is set to begin a critical three-game friendly stretch, starting with a match against No. 25 Ireland on Thursday night. This series includes two games against the “Girls in Green” across Colorado and Ohio, before concluding with a highly anticipated clash against regional rivals No. 8 Canada in Washington, D.C.
“We’re largely inexperienced and still learning with everything that we’re looking to do, but this team, they are fast learners,” US Head Coach Emma Hayes told the media earlier this week.
Hayes has strategically opted to give nearly all her Europe-based players a break during this international window. This means the USWNT will play these friendlies without several first-choice starters, providing a vital opportunity for young players on the bubble to impress and stake their claim for future rosters.
Next week’s match against Canada will be the USWNT’s final game opportunity until October’s international window, which marks the second-to-last break of 2025. Hayes underscored the long-term vision, stating, “We’re at the stage where we are determining the criteria for 2027 and what that looks like. From October onwards, I would say that extended pool will be the group that we will build towards 2027 with.”
