The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.
Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.
Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.
Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.
Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.
"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."
With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.
The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.
"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."
The world No. 1 USWNT topped the No. 25 Republic of Ireland 4-0 on Thursday, dominating the first of two friendly matchups against the Girls in Green this week.
Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle notched a goal and an assist in her first appearance for the US in 2025, with defender Avery Patterson, midfielder Sam Coffey, and forward Alyssa Thompson also finding the back of the net to round out the scoresheet.
Despite relative inexperience, this USWNT lineup claimed control of the match from the very first whistle, holding 68% of possession while keeping Ireland from registering a single shot on goal.
The US also saw new faces step up, as defenders Lilly Reale and Jordyn Bugg as well as goalkeeper Claudia Dickey all earned their first caps without a hitch.
While USWNT boss Emma Hayes is still figuring out her player pool, her team has been busy racking up the results.
"Being able to trust my teammates around me, trusting Emma — she's helped me a lot," Thompson said after the game. "Just the coaching staff in general, I feel like I've learned so much."
"My natural instincts are to go into the attack more," Patterson told media after tallying her first-ever senior team goal. "I think it's a little bit of that, and also the backing of my coaches."
How to watch the USWNT vs. Ireland this weekend
The USWNT and Ireland will clash again in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 3 PM ET on Sunday.
Coverage of the friendly will air live on TNT.
The world No. 1 USWNT takes the pitch against No. 25 Ireland on Thursday night, kicking off a three-friendly stretch that spans two games against the Girls in Green in Colorado and Ohio before a Washington, DC, clash against regional rivals No. 8 Canada.
"We're largely inexperienced and still learning with everything that we're looking to do, but this team, they are fast learners," US head coach Emma Hayes told media earlier this week.
After Hayes decided to give nearly all her Europe-based players a break during this international window, the USWNT enters this stretch of friendlies without a number of first-choice starters, giving young bubble players perhaps their last chance to impress.
Next week's bout with Canada will be the USWNT's last match opportunity until October's international window — the second-to-last break of 2025.
"We're at the stage where we are determining the criteria for 2027 and what that looks like," said Hayes. "From October onwards, I would say that extended pool will be the group that we will build towards 2027 with."
Notably, Thursday's lineup could feature a boost from previously injured 2024 Olympians Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune, with the veteran Lavelle also stepping into a newly elevated leadership role on the team.
"I had a lot of really great older players to look up to to help usher me into the position where I now can be that for the younger players, so it's definitely something that I lean into," Lavelle said on Wednesday.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Ireland on Thursday
The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their first friendly against No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on Thursday, with live coverage airing on TBS.
The USWNT announced a few welcome returns on Wednesday morning, tapping a roster heavy on NWSL talent for the world No. 1 team's upcoming friendlies against No. 25 Ireland and No. 8 Canada.
Veteran midfielder Rose Lavelle is back in the fold, with the Gotham standout coming off ankle surgery to join her first US camp since November 2024.
Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune is also making a return, as she continues her recovery protocol following an August 2024 knee surgery.
The roster's lone European club player is star center back Naomi Girma, with head coach Emma Hayes opting to give most of the team's Europe-based stars a crucial break.
"[Girma] felt really strongly that she needed the minutes," Hayes explained, referencing the defender's recent months off the pitch due to a calf injury. "She wants to be involved with the national team because she felt she's missed a really key camp for us."
The Europe-based absences carved space for some new faces, with Gotham defender Lilly Reale, Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg, Kansas City defender Izzy Rodriguez, and Seattle midfielder Sam Meza all earning their first senior team call-ups.
With an average of 18.4 caps per player, this NWSL-heavy roster marks one of the least-experienced friendly lineups in the modern history of the USWNT.
"This is a uniquely different situation, different window, where so many senior players will not be with us in this camp," Hayes told reporters. "This is probably the last time I'll be able to do this in the lead-up to qualifying for the World Cup."
With much of the USWNT's trusted core resting during this window, Hayes will snag a critical — and possibly final — look at how lesser-known NWSL players size up against international competition.
The June/July 2025 USWNT roster
- Goalkeepers: Angelina Anderson (Angel City), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign) Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)
- Defenders: Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Naomi Girma (Chelsea), Lilly Reale (Gotham), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride), Emily Sonnett (Gotham), Gisele Thompson (Angel City)
- Midfielders: Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current), Rose Lavelle (Gotham), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)
- Forwards: Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign), Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City)
How to watch the upcoming USWNT friendlies
The No. 1 USWNT will kick off their summer friendlies in Commerce City, Colorado, taking on No. 25 Ireland at 9 PM ET on June 26th before the pair clash again in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 3 PM ET on June 29th.
The US will close out the window against No. 8 Canada, facing their longtime rivals in Washington, DC, at 7:30 PM ET on July 2nd.
Live coverage of the first match will air on TBS, with TNT set to broadcast the following two games.
With the USWNT back in action for the next set of summer friendlies later this month, head coach Emma Hayes filled ESPN in on her roster strategy earlier this week.
Hayes will rest all Europe-based US players during the upcoming international window, instead relying on domestic talent following a jam-packed year for the team's European stars.
"We don't necessarily decide the international calendar, but this is one where we think it's in the best interest of the players," Hayes said, noting both past demands and the increasingly busy road to the 2027 World Cup.
With player welfare and recovery top-of-mind, the lone exception to Hayes's European omissions is Chelsea FC defender Naomi Girma, who made her 2025 USWNT debut on May 31st.
The US manager is seeking more minutes for the star center back after Girma spent much of the year recovering from a calf injury.
Hayes also revealed some key updates on other injured players, with fans eager to see midfielder Rose Lavelle and forward Trinity Rodman return to the USWNT fold.
After a lengthy recovery from ankle surgery, Lavelle — who made her first NWSL appearance of 2025 in Gotham FC's 2-1 loss to Kansas City last Saturday — could return to international play this month.
Rodman remains slightly further out from returning to the USWNT roster, with Hayes saying she expects the Spirit forward to begin seeing club minutes sometime next month.
The USWNT core is coming together, with Stateside players looking to seize the chance to prove their worth as club soccer approaches its summer hiatus.
This weekend's NWSL action saw Gotham FC's woes continue, with the Bats falling further from the playoff line in the 2025 standings after a Saturday loss to the Kansas City Current.
Despite the return of star midfielder Rose Lavelle, who made her 2025 season debut in the match's 74th minute, the 2023 NWSL champions fell 2-1 in a Current win that controversially saw two Gotham goals called back by VAR.
Although they recently lifted the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup, the Bats' three straight NWSL losses have them now sitting in 10th place on the the table, while Kansas City saw their lead in the league balloon to five points following this weekend's action.
That extended lead came in part due to then-No. 2 San Diego's first loss in six games, with the Wave dropping to No. 4 this week after stumbling 2-1 to Seattle on Friday night — a victory that launched the Reign into fifth place.
"I just think there's belief," Seattle head coach Laura Harvey said after the match. "I think we would have been disappointed if we'd have come away without a win."
San Diego's loss also allowed the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit to leapfrog the Wave into Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, on the NWSL table.
Weekend wins similarly fueled their jumps, with the Pride eking out a last-gasp 1-0 victory over the No. 12 Houston Dash on Saturday before the Spirit earned just their second home win of the season by downing the No. 11 North Carolina Courage 3-1 on Sunday.
2024 semifinalists Kansas City, Orlando, and Washington have now all regained their spots in the 2025 season's Top 3.
As the NWSL returns from the international break, powerhouse clubs below the playoff line are preparing for a midseason push that could make — or break — the 2025 regular season.
With just three matchdays left before the league's extended summer break, which begins June 23rd and ends on August 1st, clubs will look to shore up their spots on the NWSL table before pressing pause on regular-season play.
Hovering just outside the 2025 postseason line in a 12-point tie are a trio of NWSL clubs, all hunting midseason weekend wins to boost them back into contention:
- No. 9 Gotham FC vs. No. 1 Kansas City Current, Saturday at 1 PM ET (CBS): Having slipped under the playoff line while off hoisting the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup, the Bats have their work cut out for them against the league-leading Current on Saturday — though Gotham could see their midfield bolstered by the return of star Rose Lavelle from her 2024 ankle injury.
- No. 11 Bay FC vs. No. 5 Portland Thorns, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Bay FC's bid to jump into the league's Top 8 runs through the second-hottest club in the NWSL right now, with the Thorns looking to add to their five-match regular-season unbeaten streak this weekend.
- No. 4 Washington Spirit vs. No. 10 North Carolina Courage, Sunday at 4 PM ET (Paramount+): The Courage have dropped just one of their last five matches after a winless season start, but they'll face a Washington side hungry for a win in DC. Despite holding a league-record 5-0-0 road tally this season, the Spirit have stumbled on the home front, earning just one 2025 victory in Washington.
The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) announced a plan to launch a Division II pro arm in 2026, providing a domestic stepping stone for players aspiring to top-flight leagues like the NWSL and USL Super League.
The same Cleveland ownership group that recently fell short of securing an NWSL expansion team is backing the venture, making good on their promise to bring professional women's soccer to Northeast Ohio.
The league will launch with a shortened season following the 2026 men's World Cup, before beginning its first full-fledged campaign in April 2027.
With 15 teams already confirmed, WPSL Pro intends to field clubs in an initial 16 to 20 markets.
Along with Cleveland, the inaugural WPSL Pro season will include teams in Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Fargo, Houston, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls, Wichita, and the Bay Area, among others. Each franchise will pay a $1 million fee to enter the league.
The WPSL has a history of fostering high-level amateur competition, currently housing over 100 clubs and boasting a roster of former players that includes USWNT icons Brandi Chastain, Alex Morgan, and Rose Lavelle. WPSL Pro, however, will become the US soccer pyramid's first-ever second-tier league.
"WPSL Pro is the bridge that's been missing — not just for players, but for the communities, investors, and brands ready to be part of the next chapter in women's sports," league co-founder Sean Jones said in a statement.
Top seeds stole the show in this weekend's NWSL quarterfinals, as surging strikers, clutch saves, and center-back perfection saw all four higher-ranked teams advance to the semifinals in style.
With the league's top four towering over the rest of the pack by at least 16 points at the end of regular-season play, the weekend's results held few surprises — though the stakes for next weekend's semis have officially been raised.
Orlando's offense, KC's defense shine in quarterfinal wins
Proving why they're the 2024 Shield-winners, No. 1 Orlando blasted No. 8 Chicago 4-1 to kick off the NWSL Playoffs with the club's first-ever postseason win on Friday.
After defensive midfielder Haley McCutcheon opened Orlando's account in the 26th minute with her first goal on the season, star Barbra Banda added a brace before the first-half whistle. Legend Marta topped off the Pride's goal count with a second-half penalty, rendering Red Stars forward Jameese Joseph's sneaky score too little, too late.
After setting the league's goal-scoring standard this season — both at the team and individual level — No. 4 Kansas City secured their semifinal spot thanks to top-notch defense on Saturday.
Despite No. 5 North Carolina controlling the majority of the game's possession, the Current held strong, shutting out the Courage to let Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga's eighth-minute goal stand alone in the 1-0 victory.
East Coast sends West Coast packing
While tactically different, Sunday's doubleheader followed similar scripts: Goalless first halves led to 1-1 scorelines before East Coast powerhouses No. 2 Washington and No. 3 Gotham emerged with late 2-1 wins over No. 7 Bay FC and No. 6 Portland, respectively.
The earlier match served arguably the most drama, with the Spirit needing extra time to decide their semifinal fate. Bay FC attacker Asisat Oshoala broke the scoreless deadlock in the game's 82nd minute before Washington center back Tara McKeown notched her Iron Woman season's first goal to equalize four minutes later.
A cross from Spirit star Trinity Rodman deflected off Bay's Caprice Dydasco in the 96th minute to clinch the Washington victory.
In the later battle between the league's last two champions, Gotham's Tierna Davidson kept the center back party going with her first-ever goal for the club in the 67th minute. Rookie Reilyn Turner equalized seven minutes later off a Portland set piece, but Rose Lavelle ended the Thorns' 2024 campaign — and soccer legend Christine Sinclair's unparalleled career — by netting the game-winner seven minutes into stoppage time.
How to watch the 2024 NWSL semifinals
No. 2 Washington will kick off the semifinal round by hosting defending NWSL champions No. 3 Gotham at 12 PM ET on Saturday. Live coverage will air on CBS.
No. 4 Kansas City will then visit No. 1 Orlando in the second semifinal at 3 PM ET on Sunday, airing live on ABC.
The top-ranked USWNT will play their third and final friendly of the October international break against world No. 33 Argentina in Louisville on Wednesday night — likely with few new faces in the mix.
Head coach Emma Hayes told reporters that she will not play anyone with a regular-season NWSL match scheduled for Friday except Rose Lavelle, who will celebrate her 100th USWNT cap in Wednesday's pre-match ceremony.
"This was the game [Lavelle] chose and for that reason she's starting," explained Hayes. "I'll probably only play Rose for 45 minutes just because I know how important and valuable she is for Gotham."
Lavelle, a Cincinnati product, likely picked Wednesday's friendly for her celebration due to Louisville's close proximity to her hometown.
Resting veterans means more minutes for USWNT newcomers
Coming off two productive 3-1 wins over No. 13 Iceland, fitness is front-of-mind for Hayes with NWSL playoffs approaching and the European season — where four of this camp's athletes play — in full swing.
"I presented to the [club] head coaches in advance of this camp, saying that no player would play in more than two full games," Hayes said.
Since the NWSL's Utah Royals, Gotham FC, Portland Thorns, and Angel City FC all play on Friday, nine of the UWSNT's 26 October camp athletes are unavailable to take Wednesday's pitch. Four of those players are forwards, leaving Hayes only Mal Swanson, Jaedyn Shaw, and Emma Sears up top, unless the US boss rotates athletes in from another position.
In prioritizing rest, Hayes's self-imposed roster limitations could result in more first caps. Both PSG center back Eva Gaetino and Bay FC left back Alyssa Malonson are awaiting their first USWNT minutes.
Other players who have yet to appear during this international window include NC Courage midfielder Ashley Sanchez and KC Current defender Hailie Mace.
Young Argentina team aims for first win against USWNT
Like Hayes, Argentina head coach Germán Portanova stacked his 20-player roster with young talent, including four teenagers. The only Argentinian athlete with more than 50 caps is defender Aldana Cometti, and 14 players have less than 20 caps.
That young roster will take aim at the country's first-ever result against the USWNT, who has won all five previous meetings by outscoring Argentina 32-1. The pair's last meeting came on February 23rd in group play of the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, where the US defeated Argentina 4-0.
Hoping to quiet the US attack, Portanova packed his team with nine defenders for Wednesday's game. As a result, Hayes told the press that she anticipates a low-block from La Albiceleste and that she'll "be curious to see how we handle that," particularly as the team has been working on decision-making and finishing in the final third throughout this training camp.
U-17 USWNT races to World Cup semis
Airing on FS1 at the same time as the senior national team's battle with Argentina, the U-17 USWNT will take on Korea DPR in their first U-17 World Cup semifinal since 2008.
The team has battled North Korea three times in U-17 World Cup history, most notably in the 2008 final when Korea DPR staged a come-from-behind, extra-time 2-1 win to become World Cup champs.
This time out, the US will rely on their sturdy defense, which has already pulled off three straight clean sheets, setting a new U-17 USWNT World Cup record.
How to watch the USWNT vs. Argentina international friendly
The friendly between the No. 1 USWNT and No. 33 Argentina will kick off on Wednesday at 7 PM ET, with live coverage on TNT.
The US will close out the year with with a European tour, making tonight's match their last 2024 tilt on home soil.