The world No. 1 USWNT is gearing up for the year’s toughest matchup to date, taking on No. 8 Japan in in pursuit of their eighth SheBelieves Cup title in Wednesday’s tournament final.
The US needs a win to lift the trophy, while a surging Japan can secure their first-ever SheBelieves Cup with a draw thanks to a steep goal differential advantage.
"It’s just the perfect game, it’s just what you want," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said after Sunday’s win over Australia. "Japan, you can see on current form, scoring lots of goals, the quality of their play is so, so high."
Offense-heavy Japan to meet fresh-faced USWNT
Japan’s roster is led by Utah Royals forward and 2025 SheBelieves Golden Boot leader Mina Tanaka, who’s registered four goals and three assists over the Nadeshiko's first two tournament games — matches in which Japan dominantly outscored their opponents 8-1.
As for the USWNT, fans should expect more heavy roster rotation, following the history Hayes made against the Matildas by swapping out the team's entire starting lineup from their first-match victory over Colombia.
While the US is undoubtedly shooting for hardware, Hayes hasn’t lost sight of her plan to give less experienced players opportunities to develop against elite teams in a year without a major international tournament.
"This is the perfect game for where we are at, to learn a lot about ourselves," she told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s clash.
"I am certain we will have to suffer, because the way they dominate the ball, the way they progress up the pitch, with their rotations, with their dynamic advantages. I’m looking forward to watching."
The new-look national team has managed a perfect record so far this year, but contending with a highly clinical Japan side will take the competition to new heights — and make Wednesday's tournament title truly anyone’s to grab.
How to watch USWNT vs. Japan at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final
The USWNT will kick off against Japan from San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium at 10:30 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage on TBS, Max, and Peacock.
The USWNT remains unbeaten in 2025 after holding off Australia 2-1 to secure their second SheBelieves Cup win on Sunday.
Veteran forward Lynn Biyendolo (née Williams) opened scoring less than one minute into the match, giving the relatively inexperienced US starting roster an early edge. Sealing the win was second-half substitute Michelle Cooper, who notched her first-ever international goal in just her second USWNT cap.
However, the US weathered continuous pressure from the Matildas, with late sub Michelle Heyman exploiting a defensive hole in transition to head in an 80th-minute goal — Australia's only shot on target all match.
"We played a high quality team, a very experienced team, so for our players to produce a result like that is a really healthy indicator of our program and the talent pool that we have available to us," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said after the game.
11 fresh USWNT faces tapped for SheBelieves matchup
The US swapped out their entire starting XI from Thursday’s opening win over Colombia in Sunday's match — the first time the team has rotated all 11 players between games since 2000.
As the team’s new-look roster continues to take shape, 19-year-old midfielder Claire Hutton earned her first USWNT cap and start in the victory. Meanwhile, fellow 19-year-old Gisele Thompson, who snagged her first senior team minutes as a late substitute last Thursday, banked her first USWNT start.
Hutton is now the 15th player to make her USWNT debut since Hayes was handed the squad's reins in May 2024, putting the manager's commitment to developing roster depth on full display. To that end, Sunday's initial lineup also boasted six starters with less than five senior team caps.
How to watch USWNT vs. Japan in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final
The 10th edition of the SheBelieves Cup will wrap up on Wednesday, when the world No. 1 USWNT will take on No. 8 Japan in a winner-take-all final.
With the Nadeshiko's explosive offense giving them a significant advantage over the US in goal differential, the USWNT must defeat Japan to lift their eighth all-time SheBelieves Cup — a draw would grant Japan a first-ever trophy in the annual tournament.
Wednesday's final will kick off at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium at 10:30 PM ET, with live coverage across TBS, Max, and Peacock.
The 2025 SheBelieves Cup field is officially set, as the world No. 1 USWNT's path to a sixth-straight victory in the annual tournament will feature matchups with 2024 Olympians No. 7 Japan, No. 15 Australia, and No. 21 Colombia.
After the Paris Olympic Games forced an abbreviated four-match, two-day format in 2024, this 10th edition will return to the tournament's original setup of three double-headers in February. Round-robin play will again determine the Cup champion via accumulated points, with goal differential serving as tiebreaker.
The 2025 tournament will kick off at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium on February 20th. The quartet will then battle at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on the 23rd before wrapping up the Cup at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium on the 26th.
A history of USWNT SheBelieves dominance
While Australia and Colombia will make their SheBelieves Cup debuts, the 2025 competition will be Japan's third straight trip and fifth overall appearance in the US-hosted tournament.
Other than France's 2017 victory and England's 2019 title, the USWNT has won all other iterations for a total of seven trophies.
That streak, plus their astounding 71-2-15 combined all-time record against the three visitors — marred only by single 1-0 losses to Japan in 2012 and Australia in 2018 — make the US heavily favored to win an eighth SheBelieves Cup.
World-class contenders square off for SheBelieves
That said, it won't be easy, as every 2025 contender poses a challenge. Each has already played the USA this year, starting when Colombia fell 3-0 to the States in their Concacaf W Gold Cup quarterfinal in March.
Las Cafeteras didn't have to face the eventual gold medalists during the 2024 Olympics, unlike Australia and Japan. The USWNT knocked the Matildas out of the Paris tournament with a 2-1 win in group play, then narrowly escaped a tough Nadeshiko side in a 1-0 overtime quarterfinal thriller.
All three visiting teams will be gunning for a redemption win over the US come February. That high-stakes competition is something US head coach Emma Hayes welcomes.
"This will be my first SheBelieves Cup, but I’ve followed the tournament, and it always produces close games between top teams," the US boss said in Wednesday’s announcement.
"All four of these teams were in the last World Cup and Olympics, and all are in the building process to qualify for the next World Cup, so to get three games against talented teams and players in a format that replicates group play at a world championship is valuable in our process. All the games will be great tests for the teams and fun for all the fans."
The full 2025 SheBelieves Cup schedule for the USWNT
- Thursday, February 20th (Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, Texas)
- Japan vs. Australia, 5 PM ET
- USWNT vs. Colombia, 8 PM ET
- Sunday, February 23rd (State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
- Colombia vs. Japan, 2 PM ET
- USWNT vs. Australia, 5 PM ET
- Wednesday, February 26th (Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, California)
- Australia vs. Colombia, 7:30 PM ET
- USWNT vs. Japan, 10:30 PM ET
How to watch the USWNT at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup
Tickets for all 2025 SheBelieves Cup dates and locations are currently available online.
For those unable to make the trip, all USWNT matches will air live on TBS, with the three non-US games will be available to stream on Max.
Olympic basketball enters the semifinals today, with a red-hot Team USA taking another important step toward seizing their eighth-straight Olympic gold.
After soundly defeating Nigeria 88-74 in their quarterfinal, the US cruised to a comfortable 83-64 win over Australia this morning to reach Sunday's gold medal match. Plus, they got the job done by recording double-digit wins throughout the Paris tournament.
The last time the US failed to make an Olympic gold medal game was in 1992, when they last suffered any defeat at the Olympic level.
Team USA extends Olympic win streak with semifinal victory
The victory gave the US their 60th straight win at the Olympic Games, once again showcasing depth and talent from every player on the roster.
After finishing pool play with an impressive +58 point differential, the team's dominance has continued in the knockout rounds.
The reigning Olympic champions pushed the margin even further against Australia, with their lead ballooning to 30 points early in the fourth quarter.
France vs. Belgium will decide gold medal match
The US must now wait to find out their gold medal opponent later this afternoon, and today's second semifinal could bring even more fireworks when it tips off at 3 PM ET.
Host nation France will take on Belgium, a team with a wealth of fans traveling to Paris to cheer on their national team.
France has appeared self-assured throughout the Olympic tournament, with a pool play loss to Australia their only blemish thus far. But Belgium has looked similarly dangerous, with their only loss coming at the hands of the US in the group stage.
Belgium forward Emma Meesseman set a new record for consecutive 20-point Olympic performances with seven, a stat that dates back to the Tokyo Games. France, however, should feel confident in their attempt to better their bronze medal finish in Tokyo, relying on Marine Johannes's sharpshooting combined with Gabby Williams's stellar overall play.
How to watch Sunday's Olympic gold medal game
With 60-straight wins behind them, the US has only one game left between them and historic Olympic glory. They'll go for gold against either France or Belgium on Sunday at 9:30 AM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
Welcome back to The 91st, your one-stop-shop for all things USWNT at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Three group matches, three wins! But now the Olympic tournament really starts for the US Women's National Team.
Hosts Jordan Angeli, Duda Pavao, and Jess McDonald discuss the unique challenges Japan will present the US in Saturday's quarterfinal and how caoch Emma Hayes might tweak the starting XI in light of Sam Coffey's second yellow card and Tierna Davidson's injury.
Plus, Jordan, Duda, and Jess go through their bracket predictions and determine that they'd much prefer getting tackled by USA Rugby Sevens star Ilona Maher over taking a volleyball to the face.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
The USWNT closes out their group stage this afternoon, taking on Australia at 1 PM ET and grasping the opportunity to finish atop their Olympic group for the first time since 2016.
The US punches their ticket to the quarterfinals outright with a win or a tie, while a loss that maintains the team's goal differential advantage could also send them through.
Canada's spying scandal makes its Olympic mark
Somewhat ironically, seeding for the knockout stages depends on a decision that was made off — rather than on — the field.
The CAS dismissed Canada's appeal to reduce their six-point deduction as punishment for the team's drone cheating scandal this morning, forcing Canada — a 2-0 team with +2 goal differential despite having zero points on the board — into a must-win Group A showdown with Colombia to keep their Olympic hopes alive.
With Australia pushing to advance after Sunday's thrilling 6-5 win over Zambia, Canada's tricky situation makes them especially vulnerable.
Should Canada beat Colombia and Australia lose to the US, the Matildas could fail to advance out of Group B in third place due to goal differential.
Injuries continue to impact USWNT's Olympic lineup
For a US team already qualified for the knockouts, today's game will likely feature a good amount of player rotation without the team risking their competitive edge.
Defender Tierna Davidson will miss today's match after suffering a knee contusion against Germany on Sunday, while forward Jaedyn Shaw remains out with a leg injury. The USWNT announced earlier today that alternate Emily Sams will replace Davidson on Emma Hayes's gameday roster, while star NWSL rookie Croix Bethune will continue to sub in for Shaw.
Should the USWNT land in first after today's match, they'll play the second-place finisher of Group C — likely Brazil or Japan.
A second-place finish would line them up against the runner-up of Group A: Colombia, Canada, or France. While very unlikely, a third-place finish would see the US face off against the winner of Group A or C.
Where to watch the USWNT vs. Australia game
The USWNT will take the Olympic pitch against Australia at 1 PM ET this afternoon, with live coverage on NBC networks.
Australia has confirmed that captain and star striker Sam Kerr will miss the Paris Olympics due to an ACL injury suffered early this year.
Kerr, who also stars for Chelsea, tore her ACL in January. While unlikely that she would recover in time for the Olympics, Football Australia (FA) hadn’t confirmed her status until Tuesday when the team revealed its squad for upcoming warm-up games.
In a statement, the FA said that Kerr remained on the sidelines and will continue her rehab program at Chelsea.
"Attacker Amy Sayer (ACL) and forward Sam Kerr (ACL) remain on the sidelines with long term injuries," the report read. "Kerr and Sayer will continue their rehabilitation programmes in their home club environments and subsequently will not be available for selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games."
Tuesdays 23-player squad is a "strong guide" to the final Olympic lineup, according to coach Tony Gustavsson, but others like injured midfielders Katrina Gorry and Aivi Luik could potentially figure into the conversation.
"[They] most likely will be physically available to be part of an Olympic roster," Gustavsson said of Gorry and Luik. "This window will be a tough one for me and my staff in terms of evaluating players, where they are, and then the final selection process for Paris."
Kristie Mewis took on a difficult position at the 2023 World Cup: attempting to win with the U.S. women’s national team while also cheering on her now-fiancée Sam Kerr, who plays for Australia.
In the new Netflix docuseries “Under Pressure,” which chronicles the USWNT’s World Cup run, Mewis showcases how she balanced the team’s devastating loss in the Round of 16 with her support of Kerr. Mewis’ first minutes in the World Cup came at the end of the team’s shootout loss to Sweden, and included her taking – and making – a penalty kick as her first shot at the tournament.
“One of the coaches came over to me and Kelley [O’Hara] and he was just like, ‘I hope you guys are preparing yourselves to take a penalty kick.’ And I was kind of like, what?” Mewis said, noting that she entered the game, “running around for maybe 30 seconds” before the final whistle blew.
Still, she felt more than ready for her penalty shot.
“I’ve never felt more confident in a moment,” she said. “I have been preparing for that moment my whole life. Every time I went out and trained, every time I kicked with my left foot, I was training for that one moment. Because that was the only moment that I was going to get in the World Cup.”
Yet despite Mewis’ successful kick, the USWNT lost the shootout, resulting in the team’s earliest exit ever in a World Cup.
Instead of going home with the rest of the team, Mewis stayed in Australia to cheer for Kerr and the Matildas. While Kerr had started the tournament sidelined with an injury, she played in Australia’s quarterfinal match with Mewis in the stands. And she made her own penalty kick in that match, which Australia won over France to advance to the semifinals.
“It didn’t end the way that we wanted it to. But also, Sweden deserved to win. They kept us from scoring and they did better with their penalties,” Mewis said, before noting that the decision to stay and support Kerr was an easy one.
“Yes, my dream of being at a World Cup and winning a World Cup is now over. But Sam’s in the quarterfinals,” she continued. “This is just so crazy, this is everything that she’s always wanted too. Everyone knows that the U.S. team went back home, but there’s no place I’d rather be. I’m so happy to be here and support her. Obviously it is a little bit hard, but I think I can separate it because I love her so much.”
Even still, that love has boundaries. Mewis refused to wear an Australia jersey to support Kerr, despite the rest of Kerr’s family and friends doing so.
“They’re like, ‘Where’s your jersey? Where’s your jersey?’” Mewis said. “And I like, cannot put on an Australian jersey.”
Gotham FC and USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis is enjoying the offseason, spending part of it in London alongside her fiancée Sam Kerr, who plays for Chelsea.
On Sunday, Mewis vlogged one of her London days, which included going to a Women’s Super League game to cheer on Kerr and the Blues.
“Going to Sam’s games is literally like my favorite thing in the entire world,” Mewis said in the TikTok video.
Mewis’ day included going to get a coffee before the game at her “favorite cafe.” She ordered an iced coffee, as well as what she called “best ham and cheese I’ve ever had,” before hopping into a cab to go watch Kerr play.
Kerr made the trip worthwhile, scoring a goal in Chelsea’s 5-2 win over Leicester City. The two then went and got food before heading home for the day.
“I love to share my relationship on social media,” Mewis told told soccer lifestyle magazine Gaffer earlier this year. “So I think if we can change the way one or two people feel about themselves, they can look at us and see that we’re happy and we’re trying to be as successful as we can and we’re an out gay couple. I think that that’s so important.”
@kmewis19 ♬ original sound - Kristie mewis
Soccer power couple Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr shared their engagement photos on social media Tuesday morning.
The two shared the pictures of the engagement, which took place on Sept. 1, according to the couple’s caption. That means that the duo kept it under wraps for roughly two months, as they did not announce their engagement until Nov. 10, though they had invited speculation since late September.
On Oct. 24, Mewis posted a collage on Instagram that featured one photo with her engagement ring facing the camera.
The couple broke the news in an exclusive for People Magazine just ahead of the NWSL Championship match, which Mewis won with Gotham FC. Mewis told People that Kerr has “just been everything” for her in 2023.
“My biggest supporter, always listening to me nag and complain all, all of my crazy antics,” Mewis said.
And while the long-distance relationship is hard at times, as Kerr plays for English club Chelsea, it helps that they play the same sport, they said.
“I think the thing that keeps us going is that we can see an end point. We both just want each other to do so well in our careers,” Kerr said. “I don’t think you could be in a long-distance relationship with someone who didn’t get the sport. She fully gets it and I get it. So we just support each other.”