The world No. 1 USWNT is back in action on Saturday, taking on No. 17 China PR in the first of two early summer friendlies as head coach Emma Hayes continues evaluating talent across the 24-player roster.
"We have two different types of opponents ahead of us, so we'll have to be creative in breaking down those teams in different ways," Hayes told reporters earlier this month.
With an average of just 30.7 caps per player, this international window is an opportunity for NWSL favorites to prove their national team value — though the USWNT will be without one up-and-comer: Due to a minor hip injury, Angel City defender Gisele Thompson departed camp on Thursday, with Hayes opting not to replace the 19-year-old in the lineup.
Fresh faces to take on a familiar foe
The US has faced China PR a total of 60 times — more than any country other than No. 7 Canada. China also boasts the second-most US defeats with nine, though they haven't upended the USWNT since 2015.
In total, the USWNT boasts a 38-9-13 all-time record against their longtime rival, including arguably the team's most famous victory: the history-making penalty-kick win in the 1999 World Cup final at the Rose Bowl.
That said, the teams haven't squared off since December 2023 — some six months before Hayes took the helm.
"We have new faces, we have experience, we have veterans, we have young players. I think we're a really amazing blend of all of the above," said midfielder Sam Coffey this week. "I think more than anything, the common denominator in everyone here is just a hunger to get better."
How to watch the USWNT vs. China PR friendly match
The USWNT kicks off against China PR at 5:30 PM ET on Saturday in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Live coverage of the match will air on TBS.
Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson has been a goal-scoring machine this season, leading the charge for a young team fighting its way up the NWSL table. But in May 2nd's end-to-end battle with 2024 NWSL runners-up Washington, the 20-year-old winger's most important play was a pass.
The California club had gotten off to a fast start in DC, scoring early as they worked their way into the match. The team was coming off a late-game collapse against 2024 champions Orlando the week prior. They hope to ward off another loss by generating as much offense as possible.
In the 22nd minute, Thompson, the ball at her feet, saw her teammate — and sister — right-back Gisele Thompson move out of ACFC's defensive end and dart into the Spirit's penalty area. Alyssa quickly served her sister the ball on a platter. The 19-year-old defender netted her first-ever NWSL goal a split-second later.
"My heart was pounding so hard," Alyssa told Just Women's Sports a few days after the match. "I was so excited for her."
"I always thought it was going to be me that scored, and she assisted me," she continued, given their respective positions. But Gisele's special moment also underlines Thompson's growth as a player. She's matured into a legitimate MVP candidate, while fifth-place ACFC enters the title conversation for the first time in franchise history.
Thompson on coping with USWNT growing pains
Thompson didn't give up on her Olympic dream for weeks after USWNT head coach Emma Hayes released her roster for the 2024 Summer Games. After all, she'd already featured in the 2023 World Cup at the age of 18, going on to receive regular call-ups through the rest of that year.
But even as her name slipped off the USWNT roster in 2024, Thompson remained hopeful for a surprise selection. It wasn't until the team landed in Europe that the then-19-year-old began the process of accepting whatever came next.
"I think that helped me a lot, just letting go of that sadness I felt, knowing that I wasn't playing how I wanted to play," she said.
"During that time, I learned how to be a better professional, and took what we were doing more seriously," Thompson continued. She doubled up on training sessions, and spent extra time in the film room, laser-focused on her next opportunity to audition for US consideration.
All that work resulted in a newfound confidence, one that's fueled an attacking explosion continuing well into this season. Thompson scored five goals in the 2024 NWSL regular season after the Olympic break. It put her in prime position as the US set off down the long road to the 2027 World Cup.
Rising up the ranks — for both club and country
The USWNT eventually came calling once again. Hayes invited Thompson to rejoin the team for a series of friendlies in October 2024. And while she took full advantage of that chance — scoring her first senior national team goal against Iceland — it was her club career that really benefited from the long-awaited return.
These days, Thompson is considered one of the best wingers in the NWSL. Dribbling past defenders with ease, she connects with teammates as well as she shoots. She slots home strikes with a remarkable sense of calm. She's registered four goals and two assists over eight matches for Angel City this season. And she's shown a veteran savvyness far beyond her years.
"In the first three games, Alyssa's been the best player in the league," Angel City sporting director Mark Parsons told ESPN in early April.
USWNT manager Hayes echoed Parsons's sentiment. "The development in the last six months for her, I've been talking about it a lot this week," she said of Thompson's improvement last month. "You can really see how much she's closed that gap."
Thompson finds her footing in the NWSL
Selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft at the age of 18, Thompson remembers having no idea what to expect in her rookie year. And, subsequently, having to build up the nerve to even ask for help.
"I thought it was like [high school] club," she said. "You come to training, you practice, and you leave, and then that's it. But being a professional is so much more than that. Taking care of your body, doing extras, looking at film, just putting in the extra work knowing that you want to get better."
A self-described introvert, Thompson didn't always know how to speak up. But that didn't stop her Angel City teammates from seeing her potential. She remembers NWSL mainstays like Ali Riley taking the time to talk to her, coaching her through becoming a professional athlete while simultaneously finishing her senior year of high school.
"It was really helpful having those people on the team knowing me and knowing that I did want the help," she says. "I just didn't know how to really ask — it was outside of my comfort zone to do that."
And it didn't stop there. When Thompson finally let go of playing in the 2024 Olympics, she turned to her teammate and locker buddy Christen Press, a two-time World Cup champion and USWNT legend in her own right.
Over the season, Press talked Thompson through striking the ball, positioning herself in front of goal, choosing where to shoot, and other mechanics. But she also helped Thompson regain her confidence after the professional setback. She reminded the young forward over and over again of her ability to become a world-class player, and promising that she'd get another shot.
"I've always looked up to her," Thompson said of Press. "As an older sister, I feel like I crave some advice. Because I feel like I've always done everything first for my sisters. It's just been really nice getting to know her as a person. And I feel like I've just learned so much from her."
"Knowing that she was [saying], 'You can score. I believe in you,' really gave me a lot of confidence," she continued. "Like, 'Yeah, I can. If you believe in me, what can I not do?"
The sisterly bond driving Angel City
Despite still being just 20 years old, Thompson has transitioned to imparting wisdom onto her even-younger teammates. Of course, that includes her little sister Gisele, who signed with Angel City ahead of the 2024 NWSL season.
"I love playing with Alyssa," Gisele told JWS in January. "She makes me so comfortable in any situation, no matter where we're at. Having her by myself on the field and off the field, it makes me a better player and a better person."
Far from stoking sibling rivalry, the Thompson sisters are more than happy to share the field. In fact, the Los Angeles natives shared everything growing up, including a room. And according to Alyssa, their close upbringing makes working together easier.
"We talk about things that annoy us. And then we talk about things that make us happy. And then we're bickering, and then it's fine, and then we go to eat," she said. "It's just how sisters are."
The pair currently live together in an apartment in LA. And they lean on each other for advice about soccer and more — even if things occasionally get heated.
"We're so competitive, we don't want to lose against each other," Gisele laughed. "It's really hard going against each other [in training]. But we love it."
The sisterly connection appears to be paying off. When Alyssa set Gisele up for that goal against the Spirit, the Thompsons became the first sister duo to combine for a goal in NWSL history.
Looking toward the future, together
Thompson's aims for the rest of the year are simple: score goals, win games, make the playoffs, and take Angel City on their deepest postseason run yet. And if she can accomplish all of that with her sister by her side, it'll be even sweeter.
"I definitely feel more a part of the team as the years go on," she said. "It feels really nice to see people that were in my shoes once, and treat them how the veterans treated me when I came in."
"My teammates really believe in me, and that belief drives me to want to be a better player."
The 2025 NWSL season saw parity take center-pitch over the weekend, flipping the script yet again as the league's top teams hunted redemption — but came away winless.
Despite still sitting at No. 1 in the NWSL standings, the Kansas City Current find themselves on a two-game losing streak after falling to No. 7 Seattle on Friday, suffering the 1-0 stumble thanks to star Lynn Biyendolo's first goal in a Reign shirt.
More upsets followed, with the now-No. 6 Washington Spirit falling 4-3 to No. 8 Angel City on Friday before No. 5 Portland handed No. 2 Orlando a 1-0 Saturday loss.
The lone Top 4 team entering the weekend to escape without a loss was No. 4 Gotham, who eked out a single point after playing the struggling last-place Chicago Stars to a 0-0 stalemate on Sunday.
As squads compete for a foothold in a league where any team can win any match, two California clubs are continuing to carve out their own 2025 success stories.
Under new head coach Jonas Eidevall, San Diego has rocketed up the NWSL table to No. 3 behind Sunday's 2-1 victory over No. 10 Bay FC — putting the Wave on a three-game winning streak.
Similarly, Angel City managed to snap a two-game losing streak with their Friday win over a skidding Washington — a match that saw USWNT vet Christen Press earn her first assist of the season while Gisele and Alyssa Thompson made NWSL history with the league's first-ever sister-to-sister goal.
Overall, the seventh matchday delivered on parity, with the 2025 NWSL season swapping the dominance of the few for week-to-week chaos — challenging every club to stay on their toes.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines Angel City FC's early success in the young 2025 NWSL season.
Off to an undefeated 2025 campaign, a stat only the 2024 championship-winning Orlando Pride and powerhouse Kansas City Current also share, 2022 expansion side Angel City launched itself into the early contender conversation after missing the NWSL Playoffs entirely last season.
Watkins digs into the LA club, chatting through the team's star-studded formation, its early days, as well as its young core, highlighted by star sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson — all while weighing if the squad is truly ready to level up into the league's title-seeking echelon.
Angel City is beginning to see some payoff from its early developmental strategy, with Watkins pointing out that taking winger Alyssa Thompson straight out of high school is now providing major returns.
"She's got three goals in four games in 2025, she's the second youngest NWSL player to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in her career," noted Watkins. "Teams are having trouble accounting for her despite knowing that she is their offensive focal point at this moment."
That said, even with Thompson's prowess, Watkins does expect the club's hot start to cool, though she does predict a 2025 NWSL Playoff berth for the LA team.
"They are getting through on moments of brilliance, on chemistry and mental fortitude," noted Watkins. "It's a long season, and those kinds of things can start to slip as you get tired and other teams get used to the way that you play."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
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Just three days after the world No. 1 USWNT took down Brazil 2-0, the world No. 8 team returned the favor, securing a stoppage-time lead to take the pair's second April friendly 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Brazil's victory in San Jose marked the team's first win against the USWNT since 2014, and their first-ever on US soil.
Striker Catarina Macario put the USWNT on the board just 34 seconds into the match, before 2023 NWSL MVP Kerolin drew Brazil even with a clinical 24th-minute equalizer.
Chippy, physical play left much of the match at a stalemate until Amanda Gutierres came off the bench to snatch victory with a goal for Brazil in second-half stoppage time.
Growing pains apparent in young USWNT roster
Taking a calculated risk on Tuesday, USWNT manager Emma Hayes's starting XI was one of the youngest-ever that the team has fielded, averaging just 22.3 years old.
The inexperienced roster, which included first starts for defenders Gisele Thompson and Avery Patterson, averaged the fewest caps for a USWNT starting group since 2001. Tuesday's 17.9 cap average, however, shrinks to just 8.1 without veteran defender and captain Emily Sonnett's 106 previous appearances.
With two losses in their last three games, the USWNT is leaning into the growing pains of progress as Hayes continues her efforts to develop the US's deep talent pool in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup.
"It's been really good camp," Hayes said after Tuesday's Olympic gold medal-game rematch. "We mustn't always measure progress by outcome."
"If I only prioritize short-term success, of course, I wouldn't make that many changes. But I'm not making decisions for the short term."
Hayes's next USWNT roster assessment will come later next month, as the national team gears up for a pair of friendlies against China PR during the next international window.
The USWNT announced their final match of the summer’s three-game international window yesterday, with the team set to take on northern neighbors Canada in Washington, DC on July 2nd.
The friendly rounds out a bill that also includes two previously announced clashes with the Republic of Ireland scheduled for June 26th (Commerce City, Colorado) and 29th (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Canada coach Casey Stoney has an edge on the US
With much of Europe focused on the 2025 Euros, July’s bout with Canada will mark the North American nations’ 67th meet-up — but the first under Canada’s new boss.
Coach Casey Stoney arrived in Canada after parting ways with the San Diego Wave last June, her two years of NWSL experience providing extra familiarity with many USWNT stars.
Stoney previously led WSL side Manchester United for four seasons, giving her further insight into current USWNT manager — and ex-Chelsea head coach — Emma Hayes’s style.
USWNT faces Brazil without injured defender Tierna Davidson
Yesterday, the US posted a major roster change ahead of this month’s friendlies against Brazil, with Gotham center-back Tierna Davidson officially sidelined due to a knee injury suffered last weekend.
Davidson will be replaced by 19-year-old Angel City defender Gisele Thompson, who earned her first two senior caps during February’s SheBelieves Cup.
While Hayes’s USWNT is all about fierce competition and roster experimentation, mounting injuries could force the team into thinner lineups than expected — and up the competition across the board.
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 NWSL officially sealed the deal with Denver early Thursday, granting the league's 16th expansion team to the Mile High City for a planned 2026 debut.
To welcome the city's first-ever major league women's team, NWSL Denver is finalizing plans for a new purpose-built stadium and dedicated performance facility designed specifically for women athletes.
Controlled by Denver Sports Commission founder Rob Cohen, the ownership group behind Denver's $110 million expansion fee — the largest in US women's sports history — includes prominent Vail snow sports advocates the Borgen family as well as David and Molly Coors of brewing giant Molson Coors.
"As the NWSL continues its rapid growth, we knew it was critical to launch our 16th team in a city with a passionate sports culture and vibrant fan base," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a league statement. "With this ownership group's vision and dedication, we are confident that Denver NWSL will set new standards for excellence on and off the pitch."
NWSL stars double down
Existing NWSL teams also flexed their investment prowess this week, with multiple top athletes signing contract extensions across the league on Wednesday.
KC Current striker Temwa Chawinga, who record-breaking 2024 debut spanned 20 goals, the 2024 Golden Boot, and the NWSL MVP award, inked a deal that will keep her in Kansas City for the next three years.
"This year, we hope to bring the trophy home for the fans, for KC," Chawinga said in the club's statement. "My KC community has been incredible. All the support, it feels like home here."
On the West Coast, Angel City sister duo of 20-year-old forward Alyssa and 19-year-old defender Gisele Thompson also put pen to paper, with the young LA-born stars committing to ACFC through 2028.
With European clubs drawing top players away from the US, there's never been a more important time for the NWSL to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to player development and on-field success.