As the U.S. women’s national team prepares for the 2023 World Cup, Just Women’s Sports is taking a look at its opponents — including its three group-stage adversaries and its potential matchups in the knockout rounds.

Next up is a team that’s been something of an Achilles heel for the USWNT in the past: Sweden.

Manager: Peter Gerhardsson

Peter Gerhardsson has led the Swedish women’s national team since 2017, succeeding former USWNT manager Pia Sundhage following the 2017 Euros. Before that, he coached in Swedish professional leagues and served as head coach of Sweden’s U17 men’s squad.

Under Gerhardsson, Sweden placed third at the 2019 World Cup and won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, losing to Canada in the final.

Key player: Fridolina Rolfö

Barcelona star Fridolina Rolfö is one of many threatening players Sweden boasts on its roster. With 25 goals in 77 appearances for Sweden, Rolfö has made her name as one of the best players in the world. The 29-year-old forward headlines a group that also includes world-class players Sofia Jakobsson, Anna Sandberg, Stina Blackstenius and Kosovare Asllani.

World Cup history

Sweden has played in every World Cup since 1999, when they made the quarterfinals in their first-ever tournament. In 2003, they advanced all the way to the final before losing to Germany. Sweden has also appeared in two World Cup semifinals in 2011 and 2019.

Group Stage schedule

Sweden will play in Group G alongside South Africa, Italy and Argentina. Take a look at the schedule below, or check out the full World Cup schedule.

• Sunday, July 23 – 1 a.m. (FS1)
  • Sweden vs. South Africa
• Saturday, July 29 – 3:30 a.m. (FS1)
  • Sweden vs. Italy
• Wednesday, Aug. 2 – 3 a.m. (FOX)
  • Sweden vs. Argentina

Keys to beat the USWNT

Play to their strengths. This is an experienced team that knows how to beat the USWNT in big moments.

Most recently, Sweden defeated the U.S. 3-0 in their group-stage opener at the Tokyo Olympics. The Swedes also famously knocked the USWNT out of the 2016 Olympics, sending them home without a medal. It was the first three-goal loss for the USWNT in a major tournament since the 2007 World Cup semifinals. In both of those Olympic Games, Sweden finished with the silver medal.

The No. 3 team in the world, according to the FIFA rankings, Sweden has experience on its side. While defender Hanna Glas is absent from the World Cup with a knee injury, Magdalena Eriksson, Linda Sembrant and Nathalie Björn fill out the backline. Midfielder Caroline Seger is the anchor of this team, with over 230 appearances in what will likely be her final World Cup.

Familiar faces like Jakobsson, Blackstenius and Lina Hurtig all provided a boost against the USWNT in Tokyo and could do so again at the World Cup. Sweden has all the tools to beat the USWNT — it’s just a matter of if they can put all the pieces together and stay healthy.

Chelsea FC is once again looking across the pond to bolster their roster, with the six-time reigning WSL champions reportedly aiming to make a deal with NWSL side Angel City to acquire ACFC and USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson, per The Guardian this week.

Though the two clubs have yet to reach terms, Chelsea would need to have the deal signed before the WSL transfer window closes next Thursday.

Any agreement for Chelsea to snag Thompson from Angel City will likely feature yet another historic transfer fee, with cost projections topping former Tigres UANL star Lizbeth Ovalle's record $1.5 million transfer to the Orlando Pride earlier this month.

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The 20-year-old phenom is currently under contract with ACFC through the 2028 season after inking a three-year extension this past January.

With six goals and two assists in her 16 regular-season appearances in 2025 so far, the 2023 NWSL Draft No. 1 pick is trailing only rookie Riley Tiernan's seven goals on this year's Angel City scoresheet.

Should the transfer go through, Thompson would be the third ACFC player in a week to be moving to the UK, with the NWSL club transferring defender Alanna Kennedy and midfielder Katie Zelem to the newly WSL-promoted London City Lionesses on Wednesday.

As for Chelsea, the Blues have been a major player in recruiting US players over the last few seasons, with Thompson potentially joining her USWNT teammates Catarina Macario and Naomi Girma in suiting up for the WSL side's upcoming 2025/26 season.

Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka is looking like her old self this week, as the world No. 24 advanced to the 2025 New York Grand Slam's third round for the first time since 2021 with a straight-set win over the US's No. 47 Hailey Baptiste on Thursday.

"I don't make it my business to know anymore, I kind of just leave it up in the air," said the fan favorite following questions about a possible fifth Grand Slam title run. "I've trained really hard. I practiced really hard. If it happens, it happens."

After taking her lumps on the WTA Tour since returning from pregnancy in 2024, the 2025 US Open marks Osaka's first seeded entry into a major tournament since 2022 — and she appears to be embracing her competitive boost in style, complete with eye-catching outfits and a matching Labubu.

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The 27-year-old Japanese national next faces No. 18 Daria Kasatkina in the pair's third career meeting, with Osaka getting the best of the Australian in both previous matchups — most recently at the 2024 Italian Open.

Should Osaka advance to Sunday's Round of 16, she could be on a collision course toward a date with No. 3 Coco Gauff, after the US star advanced past her own emotionally challenging second-round battle on Thursday.

How to watch Naomi Osaka at the 2025 US Open

With times still to be announced, Osaka will next battle Kasatkina during the second day of 2025 US Open third-round play on Saturday.

Live coverage of the New York Grand Slam airs across ESPN platforms.

The No. 1 Kansas City Current have been unstoppable this season, riding a 10-match unbeaten streak into Saturday's game against the No. 9 North Carolina Courage and inching closer to claiming a franchise-first NWSL Shield.

The Current's dominant 12-point advantage over the No. 2 Washington Spirit marks the league's largest top-table margin since the Courage finished 15 points ahead in 2018.

Even more, Kansas City tops the NWSL in goals scored (34) while also registering the fewest goals allowed (10), entering the league's 18th weekend of play with a record-tying five consecutive shutouts.

After coming in fourth in 2024, the Current's defense has continued to improve under manager Vlatko Andonovski, while another MVP-level year from star forward Temwa Chawinga has bolstered Kansas City's offense.

Chawinga currently leads the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race with 11 goals through 17 games, while sitting in the league's Top 3 for both shots and shots on goal.

"I think because we have such a powerful offense, the defensive things, maybe people don't notice as much," Kansas City forward Michelle Cooper said earlier this week. "I think something absolutely important to us is our entire back line and the commitment to get little touches in, to take [advantage] of angles, and block shots."

How to watch the Kansas City Current this weekend

No. 1 Kansas City will host No. 9 North Carolina — one of just two teams to defeat the Current all season — at 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage airing on ION.

The No. 5 New York Liberty are creeping back up the ladder, as the defending WNBA champions continued reversing their recent skid with Thursday's 89-63 win over the No. 10 Washington Mystics — all while the race to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs reaches its boiling point.

While Washington rookie Sonia Citron's 18 points led the game, New York pulled together a true team effort to secure Thursday's victory, with five Liberty players scoring double-digits — including a season-high 16 points off the bench from forward Isabelle Harrison in her return from concussion protocol.

"We're not looking at the other teams at this point," Liberty forward Emma Meesseman said after the game. "We're just looking at ourselves, to maybe send a message to ourselves."

Despite that focus, New York is still contending with injury woes that have overshadowed much of the Liberty's season, taking Thursday's court without starters Sabrina Ionescu (toe), Jonquel Jones (illness), and Natasha Cloud (nose), while leaning on recently returned forward Breanna Stewart.

"We need to win the rest of our games," acknowledged Stewart, with the team gearing up for visits to the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury, No. 8 Golden State Valkyries, and No. 7 Seattle Storm over the next week. "We need to go and be road warriors."

The Liberty will have their hands full against the Mercury this weekend, with Phoenix coming in hot off a three-game winning streak with postseason-clinching top-of-mind.

"It's like a playoff matchup," Stewart added. "It's a big game, big implications, and [we're] not shying away from that."

How to watch the New York Liberty this weekend

No. 4 Phoenix will host No. 5 New York at 10 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage airing on NBA TV.