The USWNT will close out their October friendly slate on Wednesday night, when the world No. 2 squad takes on No. 33 New Zealand in the team's first-ever visit to the Kansas City Current's CPKC Stadium.
The match presents an opportunity for the US to exit the international window with a winning record after splitting a pair with No. 23 Portugal last week.
"When it's a completely different style of play, and a new opponent in a new environment, that's another test for us," USWNT manager Emma Hayes said ahead of Wednesday's friendly. "But that's why we want to play such a diverse group of opponents all the way up until [World Cup] qualification."
After heavy rotation against Portugal, Hayes will likely focus on player combos in the New Zealand clash, further distancing the USWNT from Thursday's upset loss.
"I want there to be continuity, but there was a test for us in the last game that I think the team passed with flying colors," Hayes continued. "There will be changes [on Wednesday] for me to see where players who haven't been given a lot of minutes, where they fall into that."
"Having a three-game window allows a lot of opportunity, and it allows a lot of growth," echoed forward Ally Sentnor. "It's been really great to learn and grow with this group, and just ask a ton of questions."
How to watch the USWNT vs. New Zealand
The No. 2 USWNT will kick off against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on TNT.
The world No. 2 USWNT returned to winning form on Sunday, avenging Thursday's upset loss to No. 23 Portugal by capping the pair's two-game friendly series with a 3-1 victory.
USWNT midfielder Olivia Moultrie led the charge, securing a brace within the opening 10 minutes before second-half sub Sam Coffey flicked in a 77th-minute corner kick to cement the 3-1 scoreline.
"[US head coach] Emma [Hayes] said before the game, 'I don't care what the result is, but no matter what, I want it to feel like we played like us,'" said 20-year-old Moultrie postgame.
Hayes significantly shifted away from Thursday's struggling lineup, replacing eight starters and relying on a starting XI with an average age of 21.7 years old — including teenaged midfielders Lily Yohannes and Claire Hutton.
Defender Emily Sonnett captained the squad, and her 111 senior team caps singlehandedly outranked the other 10 players on the field, whose USWNT appearances combined totaled just 100 matches.
"You can't cut a corner to success, and you can't cut a corner with development," said Hayes, impressed by the young group's growth since falling to both Brazil and Japan earlier this year.
"I think last game was a blip," Hayes continued. "And that, for me, is not something I expect to be happening on a regular basis."
How to watch this week's USWNT friendly
The No. 2 USWNT will close out October's international window with a friendly against No. 33 New Zealand in Kansas City on Wednesday.
The match will kick off at 8 PM ET, live on TNT.
The world No. 2 USWNT had an inauspicious start to their October friendlies on Thursday, falling 2-1 to No. 23 Portugal. It's the first-ever lost to Portugal in US program history.
"Ultimately, tonight was just not acceptable, it was not our standard," USWNT midfielder Sam Coffey told broadcaster TNT after the game — the team's first match in almost four months. "I think we were really individual."
Though US star midfielder Rose Lavelle gave the hosts the early lead by finding the back of the net just 33 seconds into play, Portugal's Diana Gomes equalized before halftime before her fellow defender Fátima Pinto put the Europeans on top in the 73rd minute. Both Portuguese goals came off of corner kicks.
The loss marked only the third time that the USWNT has lost to an opponent outside the Top 20 FIFA rankings, as US players struggled to find each other on the pitch when faced with Portugal's physicality and formation.
"Sometimes as a coach in this position, it feels like Whack-a-Mole," said US manager Emma Hayes afterwards. "You try and put one thing out, and then there's another one popping up."
"We've played many teams that surprised us with formation changes, but our response to it just took so long," she continued. "Then when we get into good areas, we just would make poor decisions."
Though Hayes addressed all aspects of her team's disappointing Thursday play, she also specifically honed in on their defensive missteps, saying "from front to back, we just mistimed everything."
In response, Hayes is already beefing up her options on the backline, calling up Eva Gaetino from the concurrent USWNT U-23 training camp on Friday, with the PSG defender joining the senior team's roster through this window's remaining two friendlies.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Portugal on Sunday
While Hayes tempered Thursday's loss by reminding everyone that "it's a game of football, no one died," the USWNT will still have vengeance on the mind during Sunday's rematch against Portugal.
"We've got to be better, and I promise you, we will be better," said Hayes. "We better be."
The clash will kick off at 4 PM ET, with live coverage airing on TNT.
The USWNT kicks off the first of their three October friendlies on Thursday night, facing Portugal as the team takes the pitch for the first time in nearly four months.
The matchup marks the first meeting between the two nations since the tense 0-0 group-stage finale at the 2023 World Cup that saw the USWNT narrowly advance to the knockouts.
"[Portugal] is a very good team," US midfielder Lindsey Heaps said earlier this week. "Many times that we've played them before, we get a tough game and a tough matchup."
The game also provides a glimpse of an evolving USWNT roster, bringing together NWSL standouts and European club stars ahead of next fall's World Cup qualifiers.
"That's the key right now — we need to finalize [the roster] in the next two years, and obviously leading up to qualification," continued Heaps. "That's an exciting process right now."
"It's just getting everyone together, everyone on the same page and know what the standards and levels are," she added. "What it takes to qualify for a World Cup."
How to watch the USWNT vs. Portugal on Thursday
The world No. 2 USWNT will kick off a trio of friendlies with a match against No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on Thursday.
The clash will air live across TNT, Peacock, and HBO Max.
The USWNT is changing things up this month, announcing key roster shifts as injuries shake up the player pool ahead of the October window's three-friendly slate.
Seattle Reign midfielder Sam Meza has withdrawn from camp due to a mild hamstring strain, with USWNT head coach Emma Hayes tapping Kansas City Current midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta for her second senior national team call-up to replace Meza.
The 32-year-old earned her first USWNT cap earlier this year, taking the field against China PR on May 31st.
As expected, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman is officially out after spraining her MCL last week, though there will not be a replacement for Rodman on the October USWNT roster, with injuries now putting the player pool at 25 — rather than the original 26 — athletes.
With the addition of LaBonta, the NWSL-leading Current's US roster count rises to four athletes, with midfielder Claire Hutton and forwards Ally Sentnor and Michelle Cooper rounding out the Kansas City reps on the list.
"Every player on [the Current] has a case to be on our team," Hayes told media last week.
How to watch the October USWNT friendlies
The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on Thursday and again at 4 PM ET on Sunday, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on Wednesday, October 29th.
All three friendlies will air live on TNT.
The USWNT is getting the band back together this October, as manager Emma Hayes tapped a number of veteran faces in a 26-player roster for the team's upcoming three international friendlies on Wednesday morning.
The team's European-based players are stepping back into the spotlight, after Hayes chose to rest stars Lindsey Heaps, Lily Yohannes, Emily Fox, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Catarina Macario during the summer.
However, sidelined Chelsea defender Naomi Girma will sit this one out as she continues to recover from a calf injury.
The roster also highlights the return of favorites Trinity Rodman, Rose Lavelle, and Jaedyn Shaw, as Hayes also calls up 24-year-old San Diego Wave defender Kennedy Wesley for the first time.
As next fall's qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup quickly approach, Hayes is narrowing the field from her previous developmentally focused roster-building strategy.
"I think this was the one camp I had to make some really hard decisions, and that's the place I wanted to be in," Hayes told reporters on Wednesday morning. "It's the build for [World Cup] qualification for next year."
With an average age of 24.6, the latest squad reflects the US's youth movement, though Lavelle's return helps boost the average international experience from 18.4 caps in this summer's USWNT roster to 27.3 appearances on Hayes's October lineup.
The October 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)
- Defenders: Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave)
- Midfielders: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
- Forwards: Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)
How to watch the October USWNT friendlies
The world No. 2 USWNT will first take on No. 23 Portugal at 7 PM ET on October 23rd and at 4 PM ET on the 26th, before closing out the international window against No. 33 New Zealand at 8 PM ET on October 29th.
All three friendlies will air live on TNT.
The USWNT announced their 2025 season finale on Monday, setting a pair of friendlies against Italy at Orlando's Inter & Co Stadium on November 28th and Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on December 1st.
Facing the now-world No. 2 US for the first time in 15 years, Italy's recent run to the 2025 Euro semifinals shot them to No. 12 in the FIFA rankings.
"As we prepare for World Cup qualifying at the end of 2026, we want to play teams from all parts of the world with different styles and different strengths, so getting to play Italy, one of Europe's up-and-coming teams, will be a great way to end the year," said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes in a statement announcing the friendlies.
After an extended break following a series of early July matchups, the US now has five matches left on the books, with the year-ending Italy matches rounding out three already-announced October friendlies.
The USWNT kicks off next month's lineup with two matches against Euro 2025 participant No. 23 Portugal, followed by a third friendly against No. 33 New Zealand.
As Hayes's year of roster evaluation comes to a close, expect stakes to rise as the 2027 World Cup comes into sharper view.
How to purchase tickets to the final 2025 USWNT friendlies
Though a myriad of presale opportunities are available throughout this week, tickets to both the November 28th match in Orlando and the December 1st friendly in Fort Lauderdale will go on sale to the general public on Friday.
Tickets will drop at 10 AM ET online.
The USWNT laid out its fall plans on Monday, announcing a series of three October friendlies — including nods to recently retired stars Alyssa Naeher and Alex Morgan — in the world No. 1 team's first return to the pitch since early July.
The US will face 2025 Euro participant No. 22 Portugal in the first two matches, opening the series at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 23rd before meeting again at Hartford, Connecticut's Rentschler Field in a split doubleheader with the US Men's Deaf National Team on the 26th.
The slate's third game will take place at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City on October 29th, against a still-unannounced opponent.
"Portugal is a growing team that will be highly motivated for these matches, but as always, these three games are more opportunities to work on us," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said in Monday's release.
"I'm very impressed with the progress we've made since the Olympics and I want to give a lot of credit to the players for embracing our culture and ideas, but our staff and the players know we still have much work to do before World Cup qualifying next year."
In addition to building chemistry as the USWNT pushes toward 2026's World Cup Qualifiers, the first two October friendlies will also see the team celebrating past legends Morgan and Naeher.
The Pennsylvania friendly will honor retired USWNT forward Alex Morgan inside the stadium where she scored her first-ever senior team goal.
Hartford's match pays tribute to Connecticut product and decorated goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who hung up her international boots last December.
How to get tickets to the October USWNT friendlies
While various presale opportunities will drop throughout this week, general public tickets for all three matches will go on sale at 10 AM local venue time on Friday.
World No. 10 France opened their 2025 Euro campaign with a bang on Saturday, beating defending champs No. 5 England 2-1 to better their chances of escaping a tough group stage draw.
Currently sitting atop Group D — the notorious "Group of Death" that includes France and England — are the No. 11 Netherlands, who opened their European Championship tournament run with a 3-0 win over Euro debutants No. 30 Wales.
Notably, star forward Vivianne Miedema made history in the victory, becoming the first-ever Dutch player to score 100 international goals with her record-setting first-half strike on Saturday.
Also hitting the ground running in their first group-stage match were 2023 World Cup champions and world No. 2 Spain, who routed No. 22 Portugal 5-0 on Thursday — La Roja's biggest Euro victory to date.
Gotham FC star Esther González notched a brace in that opener before tallying another goal in Spain's 6-2 win over No. 20 Belgium on Monday — tying the NWSL scoring leader with teammate Alexia Putellas atop the early 2025 Euro Golden Boot race.
Reigning atop Group B, Spain is now guaranteed a spot in the tournament knockouts, joining Group A's No. 16 Norway — the first team to advance from group play.
Norway handed No. 26 Finland a 2-1 defeat in their second match on Sunday, mere hours before host nation No. 23 Switzerland's 2-0 win both eliminated No. 14 Iceland and punched the Norwegians' quarterfinals ticket.
How to watch the 2025 Euro group stage action
The second-match cycle of the 2025 Euro group stage continues on Tuesday before wrapping up on Wednesday.
England's 12 PM ET Wednesday game vs. the Netherlands is already stealing the midweek spotlight, as the Lionesses will need a result against the Dutch to realistically keep their back-to-back title hopes alive.
Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches airs across Fox Sports platforms.
The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.
Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.
Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.
"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."
"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."
Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.
Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.
How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action
Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.
While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.
Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.
Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.
Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.
Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.