The USWNT set the 2026 SheBelieves Cup scene this week, announcing the annual friendly tournament's full four-team field as well as scheduling details ahead of its 11th iteration.
The world No. 2 US will host No. 30 Argentina in Nashville, Tennessee, No. 10 Canada in Columbus, Ohio, and No. 20 Colombia in Harrison, New Jersey, this March as they continue to hone their roster ahead of November's World Cup-qualifying Concacaf W Championship.
"These are three teams that will likely be in the World Cup in 2027, and of course we'll likely see Canada in World Cup qualifying at the end of the year," said US manager Emma Hayes in Wednesday's press release. "Focusing on our continued preparations and growth as a team, the SheBelieves Cup is of great value."
The grand finale of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup will also double as a retirement tribute, with the USWNT set to hold a pre-match ceremony honoring legendary forward Tobin Heath in her home state of New Jersey.
Heath earned 181 caps for the US from 2008 to 2021, scoring 36 goals while picking up two World Cup wins (2015, 2019) and two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012).
The USWNT will drop its January camp roster on Thursday, tapping the lineup that will contend in two international friendlies against No. 46 Paraguay and No. 47 Chile at the end of the month.
How to attend the 2026 SheBelieves Cup
A myriad of presales for the annual tournament kick off on Thursday, with all tickets going on sale at 10 AM local venue time on Monday.
Fans can snag seats to all SheBelieves matches at USSoccer.com.
World No. 4 Brazil lifted the Copa América Femenina trophy for a record-extending ninth time on Saturday, winning the 2025 final by topping No. 18 Colombia in penalties after the Conmebol titans finished extra time in a hard-fought 4-4 draw.
Drama ran through the final from start to finish, as Colombia took aim at a first-ever continental title by snagging the lead three times — forcing Brazil to trail for the first time in a Copa América match since 2014.
The physical, often chippy game saw Colombian defender Jorelyn Carabalí narrowly avoid a red card in first-half stoppage time after head-butting Brazil forward Gio Garbelini in the box — the most egregious of the match's combined 36 fouls and eight yellow cards.
While several players on both teams had star turns, Brazil legend and tournament MVP Marta shone the brightest, keeping hopes alive for the defending champs by using the last kick in regulation to net a long-range equalizer that sent the final into extra time at a 3-3 draw.
The second-half sub then handed Brazil their first lead of the match, masterfully tapping in the squad's fourth goal in the 105th minute — though fellow NWSL star Leicy Santos bent in a stellar 115th-minute free kick to keep Colombia in contention.
An NWSL player also reigned supreme in the ensuing seven-round penalty shootout, as Brazil goalkeeper Lorena blocked Carabalí's sudden-death shot to seal the championship win.
With the 2025 Copa América now in their trophy case, Brazil is eyeing their next major tournament appearance as hosts of the 2027 World Cup, though 39-year-old Marta's future with the team remains uncertain.
World No. 4 Brazil and No. 18 Colombia will take center stage on Saturday, when star-studded lineups full of NWSL talent will duke it out in the 2025 Copa América Femenina Final.
The Conmebol titans advanced to the continental tournament's grand finale via two distinctly different semifinals, as Colombia narrowly pushed past No. 32 Argentina in a penalty shootout on Monday before defending champions Brazil thrashed No. 63 Uruguay 5-1 on Tuesday.
Entering Saturday's match as the favorites, Brazil is led by reigning NWSL champion Marta, with the legendary attacker joined by fellow Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina as well as Gotham FC forward Gabi Portilho, Racing Louisville midfielder Ary Borges, and Kansas City Current goalkeeper Lorena.
Chasing a fifth straight and ninth overall Copa América title, there has never been a final in the tournament's 10 iterations to not feature Brazil.
On the other hand, Colombia is seeking their first-ever Conmebol crown behind a quartet of NWSL standouts: Washington Spirit midfielder Leicy Santos, Racing Louisville defender Ángela Barón, San Diego Wave defender Daniela Arias, and Utah Royals defender Ana María Guzmán.
Saturday's final will be the second straight and fourth overall to pit Colombia against Brazil, and comes just eight days after the pair faced off to a 0-0 draw in their final group-stage match — though notably, Brazil played the bulk of that game with 10 players after keeper Lorena earned a red card in the 24th minute.
How to watch the Copa América final
The 2025 Copa América Final kicks off at 5 PM ET on Saturday, with live coverage airing on FS1.
World No. 18 Colombia secured their spot in the 2025 Copa América final on Monday night, when Las Cafeteras bested No. 32 Argentina in a penalty shootout to take the first of the continental tournament's two semifinals.
Despite dominating in both possession and attacking opportunities, Colombia failed to break through in regulation time, ending the Copa semifinal in a 0-0 stalemate.
However, the 2022 runners-up showed confidence from the spot, securing the victory with a narrow 5-4 penalty differential after six shootout rounds.
"We are finalists and we qualified for the Olympics in Los Angeles, that was our objective," said Colombia goalkeeper Katherine Tapia after the win. "We are prepared for the Final."
With Colombia hunting a first-ever Copa title in their fourth trip to the tournament's finale, they will either face underdog No. 63 Uruguay or reigning champions No. 4 Brazil in Saturday's 2025 title match.
Should Brazil soccer legend Marta and the rest of her team continue their run to a fifth straight — and ninth overall — Conmebol trophy, Colombia would find themselves facing As Canarinhas for a competition record-tying fourth time in the Copa América final.
On the other hand, a Uruguay semifinal victory over Brazil would set up the first-ever Copa América finale to not feature the continental powerhouse.
How to watch Brazil vs. Uruguay in the Copa América semifinal
Defending champ Brazil will take on Uruguay in the second Copa América semifinal at 8 PM ET on Tuesday, as each team aims for a spot against Colombia in Saturday's 5 PM ET tournament final.
Tuesday's semifinal will air live on FS1.
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 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.
The U.S. women’s national team kicked off their October friendly series on Thursday with a choppy 0-0 draw with 2023 World Cup quarterfinalists Colombia. The two-game series will likely serve as the final international break before U.S. Soccer names a permanent coach after the departure of Vlatko Andonovski in August.
If the USWNT’s September games against South Africa were the closing of one chapter in the team’s history, Thursday’s game suggested a reluctance to begin writing a new era. The balance between steady cohesion and progress from a disappointing 2023 World Cup could be tipping too far in one direction, which is both understandable and worrying with limited time to regroup for the 2024 Olympics.
Fans looking for greater freedom of movement from the team’s veterans were disappointed this week. And while the U.S. ably contained Colombia superstar Linda Caicedo, their emphasis on defense over exciting attacking interplay made them look like a team that’s treading water before their real boss arrives in December.
The U.S. walked away with a result on Thursday night in Utah, but they still don’t look like the world-beaters they’d like to become once again. So, where do the biggest issues lie?
Keeping the band together
The USWNT’s starting XI against Colombia was completely made up of players from the 2023 World Cup roster, with only two changes from the team’s Round of 16 match to replace the departed Julie Ertz and the recovering Sophia Smith. Despite bringing in new faces in September and October, interim manager Twila Kilgore seemed more interested in continuing to build chemistry with the veterans than taking the risk of implementing new personnel.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Olivia Moultrie did not dress for the match, and teenage compatriot Jaedyn Shaw was only given three minutes in regulation in her USWNT debut. The team’s first substitute was 38-year-old Becky Sauerbrunn at halftime, followed by longtime bubble defender Casey Krueger.
Savannah DeMelo replaced Andi Sullivan in the second half, which gave the U.S. more of an attacking outlook for the rest of the match, but once again they took a pragmatic approach to player development. Defensive midfielder Sam Coffey again sat out the entirety of the match, and Ashley Sanchez has struggled to see the field after Andonovski dropped her down the depth chart at the World Cup.
There’s something to be said about letting this group of USWNT veterans find their way without Rapinoe and Ertz, and they have work to do before any prospective coach can even begin to blow up the current project. There were also positives: Lynn Williams and Trinity Rodman brought defensive tenacity and danger on the dribble from the wings, and the team’s defense-by-committee approach rendered Colombia’s attack largely inert in the second half.
a lil bit of Trin Trickery 🪄 pic.twitter.com/DPcwhhAEMh
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 27, 2023
But for a team that increasingly feels like it has nothing to lose by trying out a few new faces in the well-worn system, the U.S. played to get a result instead of allowing Colombia to force the next generation of players to sink or swim. The USWNT has acknowledged it will take bravery to keep up with the rest of the world, and the pragmatic approach left something to be desired.
Andonovski-esque tactics
For the fourth game in a row, the USWNT lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with two defensive midfielders and Lindsey Horan in the most attacking midfield role. Sullivan and Emily Sonnett again sat in a double-pivot, maintaining the strategy that helped the team look their best in their World Cup exit.
The double-pivot started as an antidote to many of the team’s problems at the end of the Andonovski era, but there’s mounting evidence that it is now their poison. The U.S. didn’t have many creative playmakers on the field at any given time, sitting off the ball in the first half to contain Colombia’s explosive attack and move in quick transition after forcing turnovers.
The approach almost paid off in the first half, when a quick turnover forced by Williams turned into a scoring chance for Alex Morgan, who sent it right to the goalkeeper. But it also meant that the USWNT spent much of the first half chasing the game. Disconnected passing through the midfield yielded poor turnovers. And while the defense recovered well to snuff out the Colombia attack, the U.S. was not fully in control of the game, outside of a period of momentum in the second half after the attacking-minded DeMelo came on for Sullivan.
In short, the USWNT’s performance felt reminiscent of the way they played under Andonovski. Kilgore has espoused the importance of building off the team’s performance against Sweden in the World Cup Round of 16, but that performance similarly resulted in a 0-0 draw. A number of the team’s creative players have been relegated to the bench, with an overemphasis on progressing the ball up the wings to send it into the penalty area.
Not unlike during the World Cup, better finishing would have papered over other issues, but U.S. players have not shaken off their inconsistency in front of goal. Morgan’s scoreless stretch for the USWNT has now reached a 10th game, punctuated by a penalty miss in the first half. A number of other players settled for shots into traffic from distance late in the game rather than remaining patient in possession.
Alex Morgan is denied from the spot by the post ❌
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 27, 2023
Watch USA vs. Colombia live on TBS or Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/9iWydIIanN
There are logical reasons for many of the USWNT’s struggles: They haven’t had much of a break since the World Cup, they don’t have a permanent coach, and many of them are in the middle of playoffs with their club teams. But with the Gold Cup and the Olympics looming, a match without new ideas against a quality opponent feels like a wasted opportunity.
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
The U.S. women’s national team remained stuck in its its 2023 World Cup rut in Thursday’s scoreless draw with Colombia.
In its final three World Cup matches, the USWNT scored just one goal, and the team finished the tournament on a 238-minute scoring drought. While two September friendlies against South Africa provided a reprieve, the struggles with finishing returned with a vengeance in the first of two October friendlies against Colombia.
While the USWNT and Colombia each finished with two shots on goal, the USWNT had nine total shot attempts to Colombia’s three. Yet the hosting team failed to deliver in a frustrating contest at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
Just Women’s Sports staff writer Claire Watkins pointed to a need for “new ideas” for the USWNT — which is a problem that starts with U.S. Soccer. While former head coach Vlatko Andonovski has moved on, the national team is right where he left them, repeating the issues that marked his tenure.
This just feels like such an Andonovski game. Doesn’t look great, but the US doing fine in most stats. Can’t get the opener or punch through as they build momentum. Keeping the other teams attack relatively quiet but it’s 0-0. But Vlatko’s been gone for months.
— Claire Watkins (@ScoutRipley) October 27, 2023
Alex Morgan’s penalty kick chance, which the 34-year-old striker banged off the post in the 44th minute, provided the best scoring opportunity for the USWNT. She sent a follow-up chance sailing over the crossbar.
Sophia Smith returned from an MCL sprain for her first international minutes since the 2023 World Cup. The 23-year-old forward entered as a substitute in the 76th minute, and she had a look at the net late in extra time, but Colombia goalkeeper Natalia Giraldo got a foot on the ball.
Becky Sauerbrunn made her first USWNT appearance since April. The 38-year-old defender missed the World Cup with a foot injury, but she entered at halftime for Naomi Girma and played the entire second half.
Jaedyn Shaw earned her first cap, entering in the 87th minute. The 18-year-old is in her second camp with the USWNT, but while she received a call-up in September, she did not appear in either match against South Africa. Her fellow 18-year-old debutante Olivia Moultrie did not suit up for the match, but she could get her chance at 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday, when the U.S. will meet Colombia in a rematch at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.
The U.S. women’s national team bowed out early at the 2023 World Cup. But the 2024 Olympics are just around the corner, and Sam Mewis expects the USWNT to contend for the gold medal.
The 30-year-old midfielder starred at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but has not appeared for the USWNT since then due to a lingering knee injury. After a second surgery on her knee in January, she is taking her recovery “one day at a time,” and she still wants to return to the pitch, she told GOAL in July.
The USWNT would benefit from a healthy Sam Mewis at the Paris Games, with the women’s tournament set to kick off on July 25, 2024, in France. And while Mewis did not address her own recovery, she expressed optimism in the USWNT’s chances on Just Women’s Sports‘ World Cup podcast “The 91st.”
“We have a lot of young players. Some players that have been injured who could be back,” she said. “So I am really excited to see the U.S. have this quick turnaround. What we can do to come back and be a contender in just a year?”
Mewis identified several other teams — in addition to World Cup champion Spain — that could make a run at the gold medal. Take Sweden, who finished in third place at the World Cup but has been knocking at the door of a championship for years.
“Sweden has been at the top for a bunch of tournaments in a row,” she said. “My gosh, they had such an incredible tournament and to just see it slip away from them was really disappointing.”
England and Japan also impressed her with their play, as did up-and-comers Nigeria and Colombia, “who pushed further than people maybe expected,” she noted.
While her USWNT teammate Midge Purce poked fun at Mewis for choosing too many teams as possible contenders, Mewis said she remains content to be “a diplomat” as she evaluates the field for next year’s tournament.
The 2023 World Cup is down to two teams, with England and Spain set to face off in the championship match. Both teams are competing in their first World Cup final, so a first-time champion will be crowned in Sydney on Aug. 20.
Check out the complete schedule and knockout stage results below, and catch up on the semifinals with our coverage of La Roja’s 2-1 win against Sweden and the Lionesses’ 3-1 victory over Australia.
2023 World Cup: Schedule and how to watch
All remaining World Cup matches are available to watch on Fox, Telemundo and Universo. They can be streamed on the Fox Sports app and on Peacock.
Third place
- Saturday, Aug. 19
- 4 a.m. — Sweden vs. Australia (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane)
Championship match
- Sunday, Aug. 20
- 6 a.m. — Spain vs. England (Stadium Australia, Sydney)
