The 2023 SheBelieves Cup kicks off on Thursday. The friendly tournament is a key tune-up for the U.S. women’s national team before the World Cup begins in July.

What is the team’s schedule?

• USA vs. Canada: Thursday, Feb. 16 @ 7 p.m. on HBO Max
• USA vs. Japan: Sunday, Feb. 19 @ 3:30 p.m. on TNT and HBO Max
• USA vs. Brazil: Wednesday, Feb. 22 @ 7 p.m. on TNT and HBO Max

Four of the world's top nations battle for hardware at the 2023 #SheBelievesCup, presented by @Visa 🏆

USA 🇺🇸
Canada 🇨🇦
Japan 🇯🇵
Brazil 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/3AlGhAnRTZ

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) February 9, 2023

What are the top storylines?

1. The Canadian women’s national team attempted to go on strike this weekend over budget cuts, equal pay grievances and lack of support from Canada Soccer. But Canada Soccer deemed the strike unlawful and threatened legal action, forcing the players to participate in SheBelieves Cup, which begins with Canada’s matchup against the USWNT. Given the history of support between the two teams (Alex Morgan and Becky Sauerbrunn voiced their support for Canada on Saturday), expect there to be some form of protest before or during the game.

2. With this being one of the primary tune-up tournaments before the U.S. heads to the World Cup, it’s likely that the players coach Vlatko Andonovski takes to the SheBelieves Cup will be close to the final roster, barring players returning from injury. Some players will look to cement their place on the roster, such as 20-year-old forward Trinity Rodman, while the schedule of three games over seven days will help prepare the team for the workload at the World Cup.

3. While the USWNT remains the top team in the world, their run of three straight losses against England, Spain and Germany in October showed that they’re not infallible. This year’s SheBelieves Cup field features three teams in the top 15 of the world rankings. Canada returns top talent from its 2021 Olympic-winning team, such as forward Janine Beckie, midfielder Julia Grosso and goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Brazil brings several NWSL stars, headlined by Debinha, one of the best players in the NWSL, and Marta, one of the best to ever play the game in Marta. Japan historically gives the USWNT tough games. As a result, this is one of the best tests the USWNT could face ahead of their trip down under in July.

Who are players to watch?

Mallory Swanson has started off the year with a bang, scoring twice in the team’s opener against New Zealand and again in the second friendly of their international trip in January. It was the type of performance the team needed in the first game, as they struggled to score against a depleted New Zealand team.

Lynn Williams has had a successful return to the pitch, scoring a goal against New Zealand mere minutes after subbing into her first game since last February. The 29-year-old forward had spent almost all of the past year recovering from a hamstring injury.

“[Williams’] road to recovery has been pretty incredible to watch, and just to see her come in and make an impact and score a goal goes to show what a great player she is,” Swanson told The Athletic.

As Williams settles back into the USWNT, look for her to continue to contribute. With 15 goals and 11 assists through 49 career international appearances, Williams can find a groove no matter where she is on the pitch.

Elsewhere on the field, Taylor Kornieck will continue to adapt to the six position in the midfield, an experiment by Andonovski that has received mixed reactions. Given Kornieck’s 6-foot-1 height and abilities, Wave head coach Casey Stoney has said that playing her as an isolated six would mean “taking away her strengths,” but she’s interested to see how it plays out.

“I’m sure Vlatko will give her that information and give her the best chance to be successful,” Stoney said. “I’m interested to see how she gets on in there. She’s so coachable, and she wants to do well, so I’m sure she’ll go in there and be successful.”

USWNT and Chelsea FC star Catarina Macario inked a 10-year, $10 million contract with Nike on Tuesday, securing one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals in the women's game.

Macario started her pro career as an Adidas athlete, but swapped brands after battling back from a long-term knee injury to win a domestic treble with WSL side Chelsea this year.

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The Brazilian-born US national is also starring in Nike's "Scary Good" ad campaign, a series of short films that "pay homage to the horror and satire of late-night television with a cast of the game's most dominant attackers."

Other soccer stars joining Macario in the sportswear giant's short film series are Spain's two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas and winger Salma Paralluelo, Brazil's Kerolin, and Germany's Giulia Gwinn, as well as Macario's Chelsea teammate, Australian national Sam Kerr.

"Nike has always been a part of my journey — from Surf to Stanford, to the USWNT and now Chelsea FC," Macario said in Tuesday's press release.

"Now, to be officially with the brand feels incredible. Not only because I get to join a team of football legends that have influenced my style of play since the beginning, but because I believe Nike represents the fearless spirit I try to bring with me every time I step on the pitch."

Women's soccer is blowing up on the sponsorship front, with payouts jumping from Norwegian superstar Ada Hegerberg's $1.1 Nike deal in 2020 to this week's blockbuster Macario signing.

How to watch Macario in her "Scary Good" Nike film

Catarina Macario's "Scary Good" film — dubbed "The Cold-Blooded Clinic" — will drop on July 16th on Nike Football's YouTube channel.

Two-time WNBA champion DeWanna Bonner is coming home, rejoining the Phoenix Mercury after parting ways with the Indiana Fever late last month.

Bonner is back with the team that originally drafted her as the fifth overall pick in 2009, inking a slightly above-minimum prorated veteran contract for the remainder of the 2025 season.

"It's home. I know I'm going to get the love and the support," Bonner said, reuniting with fiancée Alyssa Thomas on the second-place WNBA squad.

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After spending her first 10 seasons with the Mercury, Phoenix traded Bonner to the Sun in February 2020.

The six-time All-Star forward spent five seasons alongside Thomas in Connecticut, helping the Sun to at least the WNBA semifinals in each of those years.

The Fever then signed Bonner as a free agent ahead of the 2025 season, with the 37-year-old later departing the team for personal reasons after just nine games with Indiana.

Bonner missed five games before the the Fever officially waived her on June 25th, as the renewed free agent reportedly eyed a move back to Phoenix.

"We couldn't be more excited to have DeWanna back in a Mercury uniform," Phoenix GM Nick U'Ren said in a statement. "She is a true winner, leader and one of the most talented and versatile players in our game."

Indiana star Caitlin Clark is officially back in action, making her return to the court in Wednesday's Fever clash with Golden State to mark her first WNBA minutes since June 24th.

While the No. 6 Valkyries took the 80-61 win on Wednesday, Clark was able to log 25 minutes as well as put up 10 points, six assists, and five rebounds in her return from injury.

Prior to this season, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year had not missed a game since her sophomore year of high school in 2017.

Wednesday's return capped a five-game stretch with Clark out with a groin strain — the most recent knock to the WNBA sophomore after a quad strain sidelined her for two weeks earlier this season.

"It's obviously hard sitting out and watching for a few weeks, so I'm excited to get out there," the guard told reporters on Tuesday.

While Indiana's loss did not impact their No. 7 spot on the league table, Wednesday's other major matchups could have deeper implications for the WNBA standings:

• No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 2 Phoenix Mercury, 3:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The WNBA's top two teams will square off Wednesday afternoon, as a steady Lynx team meets a rejuvenated Mercury hot off a revenge win over Dallas on Monday.

• No. 11 Dallas Wings vs. No. 12 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Young phenoms duke it out as the Sky honor 2021 WNBA champ and new retiree Allie Quigley — and hope to avenge Tuesday’s close loss to Washington by downing the Wings.

The 2025 WNBA All-Star teams are set, as captains Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark drafted the 20 other honored players into their final rosters live on ESPN on Tuesday night.

The draft began with the two captains selecting from the eight-player pool of fan-voted starters, before Clark and Collier each chose six athletes from the group of 12 All-Star reserves.

Both the Minnesota forward and the Indiana guard prioritized selecting their WNBA teammates, with Collier successfully grabbing Lynx guard Courtney Williams as one of her reserves while Clark's first picks in each category were fellow Fever players in starter Aliyah Boston and reserve player Kelsey Mitchell.

Collier also decided to keep her fellow UConn Huskies close, tapping alums Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers for her starting lineup — though she failed to pull off a trade for third alum Gabby Williams.

"I tried 😭 they didn't show that part lol," the Lynx star posted to X after the draft, referencing her attempt to roster Williams.

While Collier's strategy was to snag current and former teammates, as well as players with whom she has Unrivaled or collegiate ties, Clark approached the draft with less of a plan.

"I'm going on vibes. I'm picking whatever comes to mind. We're just having fun," joked Clark, promising "my team is going to be fun."

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All-Star draft's lone trade sees head coach swap

Despite a handful of trade offers, the only swap of the Tuesday draft didn't end up involving players at all, as the All-Star leaders agreed to switch head coaches.

Coaching assignments follow fan votes and team records, with the top All-Star vote-getter paired with the coach of the league's No. 1 team, while the No. 2 team coach leads the squad captained by the player who garnered the second-most votes.

As such, Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve was initially assigned to Team Clark, with Collier's squad led by New York boss Sandy Brondello.

Following both Collier's strategy of prior connections and, perhaps, Clark's emphasis on vibes, the pair agreed to switch sideline leaders, keeping the Lynx lineup together and sending the reigning WNBA champion to helm Clark's crew.

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The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game rosters

Team Clark:

• Starters: Aliyah Boston (Indiana), Sabrina Ionescu (New York), A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas), Satou Sabally (Phoenix)
• Reserves: Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana), Gabby Williams (Seattle), Sonia Citron (Washington), Kiki Iriafen (Washington), Jackie Young (Las Vegas), Kayla Thornton (Golden State)
• Head coach: Sandy Brondello (New York)

Team Collier:

• Starters: Breanna Stewart (New York), Allisha Gray (Atlanta), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle), Paige Bueckers (Dallas)
• Reserves: Courtney Williams (Minnesota), Skylar Diggins (Seattle), Angel Reese (Chicago), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix), Kelsey Plum (LA), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta)
• Head coach: Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota)

How to watch the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on July 19th.

Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.