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.
Team USA's U-20 World Cup run has come to an end after Wednesday's 1-0 semifinal loss to tournament favorites North Korea (DPRK).
The result marks the U-20 USWNT's best showing since their 2016's fourth-place finish, when they similarly fell to DPRK in the semis before the North Korean side advanced to win the Cup.
DPRK outshot the US 18-7 last night, but 17-year-old Choe Il-Son was the lone player to find the back of the net, securing the eventual game-winner in the 22nd minute. With five goals on the tournament so far, Choe is now in a three-way tie atop the competition's Golden Boot race.
Japan tops the Netherlands in second semifinal
While the US gave DPRK arguably their toughest match of the World Cup, Japan overwhelmed the Dutch with their attacking prowess last night, outshooting the Netherlands' 24-1 to notch the 2-0 win.
Notably, both goals by "the Young Nadeshiko" were scored by North Carolina Courage midfielder Manaka Matsukubo, the only NWSL player on Japan's roster.
Where to watch the U-20 World Cup final and third-place match
On Saturday, the US will battle the Netherlands for third-place hardware, with live coverage on Fox Soccer Plus.
Then on Sunday, the World Cup championship match will mirror March's U-20 Asian Cup final, where DPRK forced six-time champs Japan to relinquish the title for the first time since 2013. The final will air live on FS2.
Should DPRK emerge victorious on Sunday, they'll join the US and Germany as the only nations with three U-20 World Championships.
On today's Olympics recap episode, host Claire Watkins takes a deep breath after the USWNT’s 1-0 win over Japan in extra time, where mistakes were made, but one brilliant moment from Trinity Rodman put things away.
She discusses some of the negative tactics from both teams that led to a 0-0 draw in regulation, how the US is going to have to get used to fighting against a low block, and ultimately how instilling confidence in a group can carry you a long way.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
The USWNT will kick off their knockout journey at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, taking on Japan in a crucial quarterfinal matchup.
The US capped off the group stage atop Group B with three wins in three games, while Japan finished as runners-up in Group C with two wins and a loss.
Soccer quarterfinals mean do or die at Olympics
Soccer's quarterfinal round highlights the idiosyncrasies of the Olympics, wherein the winner of a single game is guaranteed to play for a medal — while the loser goes home empty-handed.
The US has historically found success in the quarterfinals, having only dropped the match once in 2016's shocking penalty exit to Sweden.
Should the US beat Japan, they'll play the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between Germany and Canada. Spain will also play Colombia on Saturday, while France takes on a Marta-less Brazil to round out the single-day quarterfinals.
USWNT vs. Japan Olympic quarterfinal preview
The last time Japan reached the Olympic medal rounds was in 2012, taking silver after falling to the US in the gold medal match.
This year, Japan lost to Spain in their Olympic opener before mounting a comeback against Brazil and finishing strong against Nigeria to close the group stage out 2-0-1.
The USWNT most recently faced Japan at the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, walking away with a 2-1 victory off a 77th-minute Lindsey Horan penalty kick after conceding an early goal.
Japan favors a quick counter-attacking style, and the US will want to limit turnovers in the midfield to stay in control.
Emma Hayes's starting XI remains in question
USWNT boss Emma Hayes will be forced to make at least one change to her starting XI on Saturday, as defensive midfielder Sam Coffey is set to serve a one-game suspension due to yellow card accumulation.
Unlike an injury replacement, IOC rules prohibit the USWNT from filling Coffey's gameday roster spot with an alternate, with only 17 players suiting up on Saturday instead of the full 18.
Availability for Tierna Davidson and Jaedyn Shaw is also up in the air due to ongoing injuries. Davidson (knee contusion) sat out the Wednesday group stage finale vs. Australia, while Shaw (leg) has yet to take the pitch in France.
How to watch USWNT vs. Japan at the Olympics
The USWNT will take the Olympic pitch against Japan at 9 AM ET on Saturday, with live coverage on NBC networks.
Team USA tipped off their 2024 Olympic run with a statement in Monday’s 102-76 win over Tokyo silver-medalists Japan, setting down a path toward a record eighth-consecutive gold medal.
The victory marked USA women's basketball 56th-straight Olympic win — a streak dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Team USA towers over Japan
It took some time for the US to find its stride — particularly from behind the arc, with the team shooting just 4-for-19 and all but one three-pointer credited to first-time Olympian Sabrina Ionescu.
Japan, however, relied heavily on their range, sinking nine threes to stay within 10 points of Team USA for most of the first half.
To regain control, the US leaned into their height advantage, with a combined 46 points coming from 6-foot-4 forwards A’ja Wilson (24 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks) and Breanna Stewart (22 points, eight rebounds, three blocks) alongside 11 points from 6-foot-9 center Brittney Griner. With six US players at least as tall as Japan's 6-foot-1 center Maki Takada, Team USA's front court posted up in the key, ultimately helping the squad notch a whopping 64 points in the paint.
Also contributing to Team USA’s runaway win was Chelsea "Point Gawd" Gray, who dropped 13 assists — one short of the US Olympic record.
More USA chemistry is key to continued dominance
Team unity is also on the rise, with head coach Cheryl Reeve remarking, "what I'm excited about is just having such an unselfish group of really great players that don't care who gets the credit."
With a roster of athletes focused more on the Paris podium than their individual stats, Team USA's next opponent, Belgium, is in for a battle on Thursday.
Other noteworthy Olympic basketball results
Thanks to a combined 49 points from WNBA trio Leonie Fiebich (NY) and sisters Nyara and Satou Sabally (NY and Dallas, respectively), first-time Olympians Germany stunned Belgium 83-69 on Monday.
However, the most shocking result of the day came courtesy of Nigeria, who defeated favorites Australia 75-62 for their first Olympic win in 20 years.
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)
For fans of the U.S. women’s national team, the World Cup quarterfinals might feel like a landmine of missed opportunities. After the reigning champions suffered the earliest World Cup exit in team history, fans back in the States are now in the unfamiliar position of finding a new squad to support with three rounds still to be played.
The good news for USWNT fans is that there are a number of other teams ready to make history that are worthy of a now neutral fan’s attention. After a group stage that saw underdogs rise up and favorites fall, it feels like anything is possible on the path to the 2023 World Cup title.
Here’s a quick guide for USWNT fans looking to get caught up before the quarterfinal round begins.
Australia
For fans of: Hometown heroes, attacking football, good vibes
Australia is trying to advance past the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in team history, and for lack of a more descriptive term, the vibes are strong. They looked confident against Denmark in the Round of 16, progressively finding their feet without star striker Sam Kerr. The game was Kerr’s first appearance at the World Cup after sustaining a calf injury in training, and she’ll continue to build fitness the longer the tournament progresses. Australia’s defense in transition is still a major question mark, but who doesn’t love a team that only moves in one direction: forward.
France
For fans of: Redemption, clarity of purpose, towering headers
France wasn’t perfect going into the knockout rounds, but they got the performance they needed against Brazil in the group stage to move onto the Round of 16, where they defeated Morocco 4-0. Under new head coach Herve Renard, France has appeared less caught up by decision-making in transition, moving the ball with purpose and providing service to Kadidiatou Diani, who has four goals and three assists so far in the tournament. France failed to advance past the quarterfinals at home four years ago, and they have the chance to wipe that memory away in 2023.
Colombia
For fans of: The underdog, singular generational talent, a larger movement
Colombia’s success has quickly become one of the most fun storylines of the tournament, following an impressive group-stage performance and a clinical win over Jamaica in the Round of 16. They’ve played in front of raucous crowds and awoken the sleeping giant in South American soccer. They also have a superstar of both the present and future in 18-year-old Linda Caicedo, who terrorizes defenders by scoring goals herself and creating space for her teammates. They face European champion England next, with a chance at pulling off an upset for the ages.
Will Linda Caicedo do it AGAIN?! 😤 Will she be Colombia's hero vs Jamaica? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lV9APjbzXL
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 7, 2023
England
For fans of: The favorites, tactical flexibility, a good plan coming together
Everything was going well for England after three wins in the group stage, but a bad decision resulting in a red card for star playmaker Lauren James in the Round of 16 leaves the team even more shorthanded. The good news for the Lionesses is they’ve already made necessary tactical shifts, and there’s no reason to believe head coach Sarina Wiegman can’t make similar adjustments against Colombia. England is now the consensus favorite to win it all, with the mentality to match, but their roster has cracks they’ll need to fill.
Spain
For fans of: A new style of winner, club investment leading to international success
Spain has been almost stereotypical in their approach to the World Cup thus far. Outside of one tough loss to Japan, they’ve looked ready to overpower their opponents with ease. They are willing to pass endlessly to find the right entry point through a defense, and they’ll keep shooting until they find the right moment to slip the ball into the back of the net. Aitana Bonmati has been particularly excellent for a Spanish side ready to prove that their style of soccer can win the program its first major championship.
Netherlands
For fans of: Individual quality, riding the wave, big game experience
Fans might be surprised at the Netherlands’ resilience as they’ve dealt with roster transition and injury to star forward Vivianne Miedema, but perhaps their ability to progress this far shouldn’t come as such a shock. They have a number of quality players with big-game experience both at the club and international level, and they survived the Round of 16 thanks to a fair amount of problem-solving. In two big games against the U.S. and South Africa, the Dutch haven’t been able to control entire matches, but they capitalize on their chances when they arrive and can ride the wave of momentum to positive results.
Japan
For fans of: Youthful exuberance, incisive passing, clinical finishing, NWSL stardom
Japan has looked like the most complete team in the World Cup through four games, as their multi-year development plan is coming to fruition at exactly the right time. They can both out-possess their opponent and make them pay on the counter-attack, with a cutting passing ability that can collapse a defense with ease. Hina Sugita and Jun Endo are two NWSL stars fans in the U.S. might know well, and they also have two of the best kits left at the World Cup.
Sweden
For fans of: Old frenemies, finding a way to win
As U.S. fans will likely rue for a while, Sweden keeps finding ways to win even when the going gets tough. They had their moments of dominance in the group stage, but in difficult matches they’ve stepped up in the margins in order to survive and advance. Against Japan, they’ll rely on their ability to unlock defenses on set pieces and perhaps another staunch performance from goalkeeper Zećira Mušović. Lina Hurtig joked she might get a tattoo of the goal-line technology that declared Sweden the winner in the Round of 16. There’s a lot to like about Sweden’s never-say-die attitude.
Quarterfinal Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 10
Spain vs. Netherlands, 9 p.m. ET (FOX)
Friday, Aug. 11
Japan vs. Sweden, 3:30 a.m. ET (FOX)
Saturday, Aug. 12
Australia vs. France, 3 a.m. ET (FOX)
England vs. Colombia, 6:30 a.m. ET (FOX)
Claire Watkins is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @ScoutRipley.
The U.S. Women’s National Team faces a stiff test in the Round of 16 against Sweden. The teams last played in the group stage at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, with Sweden earning the 3-0 victory.
If the USWNT can atone for that defeat and advance to the World Cup quarterfinal, things will hardly get easier. Coach Vlatko Andonovski’s team would then play Japan, which defeated Norway, 3-1, in its Round of 16 match on Saturday.
For all of the USWNT’s struggles in the group stage, Japan was dominant, out-scoring its opponents 11-0 en route to three victories.
Aoba Fujino's amazing assist finds Hinata Miyazawa who nets the Goal of the Day and sealed the victory for Japan over Norway 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/Hrqnr1shZJ
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 5, 2023
Japan outshot Norway, 16-8, on Saturday and controlled possession for 61 percent of the game. Hinata Miyazawa iced the game for Japan with a goal in the 81st minute, her fifth of the World Cup.
Spain was also victorious on Saturday, defeating Switzerland, 5-1. Should the USWNT advance to the semifinal round, it would play either Spain or the winner of Netherlands/South Africa. But first, Andovoski’s team needs to get past Sweden.
“For everyone who wants to see more, we promise we’re going to do everything we can,” Andovoski said. “We are preparing ourselves the best that we can to provide success and meet the expectations. But first and foremost, we want to make sure we meet our own expectations.”
The 2023 Women’s World Cup knockout rounds are here, with several powerhouse teams missing from the show. Yet despite a nail-biting end to the group stage, the U.S. women’s national team advanced, avoiding the ignominious fate of Germany, Brazil and Canada.
The Round of 16 features a number of intriguing matchups, from the USWNT vs. Sweden to England vs. Nigeria, which could set the tone for the rest of the tournament. Just Women’s Sports is breaking down the eight matchups before the action starts Saturday.
Sweden vs. USWNT
Head-to-head: USWNT: 27 wins — Sweden: 7 wins — 12 draws
When: 5 a.m. ET Sunday
TV: Fox, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo
Much has been made about this match, and for good reason. The No. 1- and No. 3-ranked teams in the world, the USWNT and Sweden last met at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in a group-stage match that Sweden won 3-0. But in the World Cup, the USWNT holds a 4-1-1 edge in the rivalry. Their most recent World Cup clash came in the 2019 group stage, a 2-0 win for the USWNT.
While the USWNT historically holds a significant advantage, the clubs split their last 10 meetings, with four wins each and two draws. Nine of the last 10 meetings have been decided by two or less goals.
Switzerland vs. Spain
H2H: Switzerland: 2 wins — Spain: 1 win — 0 draws
When: 1 a.m. ET Saturday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Universo
Another intriguing matchup, Spain had a topsy-turvy group stage that ended in a 4-0 rout by Japan. Meanwhile, Switzerland enters the knockout rounds having drawn seven of its last 10 international matches, but the squad is one of just three at the World Cup not to concede a goal in the group stage.
These two teams have met just three times, with Switzerland holding the edge. Their last matchup came in 2019, with Spain finally recording its first win against La Nati.
Japan vs. Norway
H2H: Japan: 6 wins — Norway: 3 wins — 0 draws
When: 4 a.m. ET Saturday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo
Japan blew through the group stage, outscoring opponents 11-0 as one of just three teams to win all three group stage games.
Norway, meanwhile, finished second in Group A, outscoring opponents 6-1 even without star forward Ada Hegerberg, who hasn’t played in more than two weeks. Her status hasn’t been confirmed, although Norway coach Hege Riise said Hegerberg has been “successful” in the recovery plan.
“She’s been following the medical plan and been successful in every step of that plan,” Riise said. “So we will see her in training (Friday) and see how she reacts to that, like the last step before the game. And we prepare for Ada to play or come in.”
Netherlands vs. South Africa
H2H: Netherlands: 8 wins — South Africa: 0 wins — 0 draws
When: 10 p.m. ET Saturday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo
After winning Group E over the USWNT, the Netherlands will face South Africa, who finished as Group G runner-up. South Africa has been able to get out ahead early but can run out of steam late. Still, the squad managed to clinch its first round of 16 appearance. South Africa finished with an even goal differential in the group stage, while the Netherlands outscored opponents 9-1 – including an astounding 7-0 rout of Vietnam to close out the group stage.
Through eight meetings, South Africa has never beaten the Netherlands, which holds a 22-5 scoring edge.
England vs. Nigeria
H2H: England: 1 win — Nigeria: 2 wins — 0 draws
When: 3:30 a.m. ET Monday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Universo
Led by Asisat Oshoala, Nigeria had a dream run in the group stage to advance past Canada and into the knockout rounds. That run included a win over Australia, though the Matildas took the top spot in Group B.
England, meanwhile, won all three of its group stage matches, outscoring opponents 8-1. Lauren James has been electric for the Lionesses and will look to continue her run of form. History favors Nigeria, however, as the Super Falcons have beaten England twice in three tries.
Australia vs. Denmark
H2H: Denmark: 2 wins — Australia: 1 win — 1 draw
When: 6:30 a.m. ET Monday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Universo
For the second time in less than a year, Australia and Denmark will face off. Last October, the Matildas secured a come-from-behind victory – their first win over Denmark in their history.
Denmark won two games and lost one to England in the group stage. Australia, meanwhile, was upset by Nigeria but still managed to win its group. Denmark managed just three goals in the group stage, compared to seven for Australia. One big question mark surrounds the status of Sam Kerr, who missed the group stage for the Matildas. She reportedly was cleared to play in their final group stage game but did not feature.
Colombia vs. Jamaica
H2H: Colombia: 1 win — Jamaica: 1 win — 0 draws
When: 4 a.m. ET Tuesday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Universo
Whichever team wins will advance to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. These two teams have met just twice before, with one win apiece.
Linda Caicedo has starred for Colombia at this tournament, helping them to a shocking 2-1 upset of Germany. Jamaica, meanwhile, finished second in Group F behind France, allowing no goals through three matches in the group stage.
France vs. Morocco
H2H: N/A
When: 7 a.m. ET Tuesday
TV: FS1, Peacock, Universo
World Cup debutante Morocco made it out of a tough group after recovering from a 6-0 defeat by Germany in its opening match. But it hasn’t allowed a goal since then, including against a tough Colombia team.
France, meanwhile, played Jamaica to a scoreless draw before beating Brazil and Panama, outscoring them 8-4 overall. This will be the first meeting between France and Morocco.