USWNT head coach Emma Hayes continues to create opportunities for new players. The coach has selected a 24-player roster for the upcoming international friendlies against China and Jamaica. The training camp is expected to see some fresh faces as the coaching staff uses the period leading up to the 2027 FIFA Women`s World Cup for player pool evaluations.
The USWNT`s next international window begins with a match against China on May 31, followed by a game against Jamaica on June 3, concluding the two-game series.
Several players familiar from the NWSL will have a chance to make their senior national team debut. Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello and Kansas City Current midfielder Lo`eau LaBonta have both received their first USWNT call-ups. They are the 22nd and 23rd players to be called up for the first time under Hayes.
“She deserves the call-up. She has been consistently performing well in everything she does,” Hayes stated during a press conference. “She`s a fantastic player and someone who, as I mentioned, is deserving, and this is the right time for it.”
Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey is back with the national team and has a chance to make her first start. She previously joined the squad for January camps, though no matches were played then. Hayes has been open about rotating goalkeepers, and Phallon Tullis-Joyce earned her first start in the most recent camp.
“The statistics are clear – Claudia Dickey is likely the best-performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season. I`ve seen a significant improvement in her game this year,” Hayes commented. “I`ve spoken extensively with [Seattle Reign head coach] Laura Harvey about her and what they are focusing on, as well as what we both hope to see from her. While she could potentially have played with the U23s, which would have been another step, I feel her current form and the quality she has demonstrated show she is progressing in the right direction, and I believe she, too, deserves this opportunity.”
LaBonta is a seasoned NWSL veteran. Abello had an excellent 2024 season with Orlando. LaBonta`s Kansas City team is currently at the top of the league standings, while Abello`s Pride team is in third place.
Defender Naomi Girma returns to the USWNT camp after recovering from a calf injury. The 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year had not played for the national team this year due to managing the strain, but she is back after appearing in five games for Chelsea FC this season.
Forward Lynn Biyendolo is also back in the squad after missing the April friendlies against Brazil due to a lower leg injury. She has regained fitness and is starting games for Seattle Reign FC. Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie returns to the roster for the first time in over a year; the 19-year-old last played with the team during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Several players from the April roster against Brazil are included again, including seven athletes who play their club soccer in Europe. The NWSL remains the most represented league, with players from 10 of its 14 clubs on the roster.
Sisters Alyssa Thompson and Gisele Thompson are also returning. The coaching staff is evaluating the younger sister, Gisele, in a forward position to see her potential as a winger. After the matches against China and Jamaica, the team will play Ireland at the end of June.
USWNT May/June Roster
Listed by: club; caps/goals
Goalkeepers (3):
- Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0)
- Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 3)
- Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 1)
Defenders (8):
- Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride; 0/0)
- Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 159/25)
- Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 66/1)
- Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 44/2)
- Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 5/0)
- Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 2/0)
- Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0)
- Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 107/2)
Midfielders (6):
- Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 33/1)
- Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 165/37)
- Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 2/0)
- Lo`eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 0/0)
- Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 5/2)
- Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 6/1)
Forwards (7):
- Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC; 78/22)
- Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 4/1)
- Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 23/10)
- Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 4/1)
- Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 7/2)
- Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 17/1)
- Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 3/0)
“We Have to Get That Balance Right”
Hayes continues to use the period following the 2024 Olympics to expand the USWNT`s player pool. This addresses the clear need to recruit and prepare rising talents for the 2027 Women`s World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. The goalkeeper situation highlights a lack of senior international experience in that position – none of the keepers in this camp have more than three caps, and only one active player involved in the past year has more than 10 caps.
“I inherited this challenge,” Hayes noted. “I didn`t create it. You`ve had a goalkeeper in Alyssa Naeher who played a lot, and no one else got significant minutes. You can`t rush this process. Unfortunately, it will take some time… What I want to avoid is developing a goalkeeper for `27 only to face the same situation again. I want to ensure that from `27 to `28 to `31, we have proper development pathways for goalkeepers so the transition is much smoother than it is for me now.”
Hayes hopes to have a clearer understanding of her primary goalkeepers by early July, with five matches scheduled before then. Her method for providing players with experience is varied and includes increased use of the U-23 team for opportunities. The youth team is traveling to Germany for matches during the upcoming international window. Hayes mentioned that three high-profile players – Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert, and Mia Fishel, who recently returned from an ACL injury – would make that trip.
“Yes, [Fishel] could have been on our bench, but it`s far better for her to go play in Germany and gain experience so that these players are progressing towards competing at the level we need them to be by 2027,” Hayes explained. “I believe the trip to Germany for her, plus Jaedyn and Korbin, will represent another valuable step in their development.”
Hayes` experimental phase also coincides with a period where several members of the gold-medal winning 2024 Olympic team have been unavailable for various reasons. This includes Trinity Rodman, who began consulting a doctor in London last month to work on a persistent back issue.
“She is doing really well. We speak regularly. It`s definitely been a comprehensive approach to supporting Trin,” Hayes said. “Regarding the issue in her back, she wants to reach a point where it doesn`t keep recurring. I believe these are the right steps for her, and I`ve certainly seen significant progress this week, but unfortunately, like anything similar, you cannot set a specific timeframe for recovery.”
