USWNT head coach Emma Hayes is continuing to provide new opportunities for players. The coach has named a 24-player squad for the upcoming international fixtures against China and Jamaica. This roster includes new individuals as the coaching staff utilizes the period leading up to the 2027 FIFA Women`s World Cup to evaluate potential players.
The United States Women`s National Team will commence their international window facing China on May 31, followed by a match against Jamaica on June 3 to conclude the two-game series.
Several familiar names from the NWSL are set to potentially make their senior national team debut. Orlando Pride defender Kerry Abello and Kansas City Current midfielder Lo`eau LaBonta have both received their first USWNT call-ups under Hayes, becoming the 22nd and 23rd players to achieve this milestone with her at the helm.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Hayes commented on LaBonta`s selection: “She`s deserving of the call-up. She`s been consistent in everything that she has done. She`s a super player and someone who, like I said, is deserving [of] that and this is the right moment to do it.”
Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey is back with the national team and could potentially earn her first start. She previously joined the squad for January training camps which did not include matches. Hayes has been open about rotating goalkeepers, with Phallon Tullis-Joyce having made her first start in the most recent camp.
Hayes praised Dickey`s current form, stating: “The data don’t lie — Claudia Dickey’s probably the best performing goalkeeper in the NWSL this season. I’ve seen a different level in her game this year. I spoke a lot with [Seattle Reign head coach] Laura Harvey about her… I felt her form and the quality she demonstrated, she’s tracking in the right direction and I think she’s someone who, again, deserves to be in this position.”
LaBonta is a long-serving NWSL player and at 32, also works as an analyst. Abello had a standout 2024 season with Orlando, contributing to their NWSL Shield and Championship victories. Currently, LaBonta`s Kansas City team leads the league, while Abello`s Pride are in third place.
Defender Naomi Girma returns to the USWNT setup after recovering from a calf injury. The 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year had not appeared for the national team this year while managing the injury, but she is back after featuring in five games for Chelsea FC.
Forward Lynn Biyendolo is also included after missing the April friendlies against Brazil due to a lower leg injury. She has since regained fitness and is starting matches for Seattle Reign FC. Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, 19, is back on the roster for the first time in over a year, having last played for the team during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Several players who participated in the April matches against Brazil are returning for this camp. Seven of the selected athletes play club soccer in Europe, but the NWSL remains the most represented league, with players from 10 of its 14 clubs featured on the roster.
Sisters Alyssa Thompson and Gisele Thompson are included again. The coaching staff is evaluating the younger sibling, Gisele, in a winger role, listing her among the forwards. Following the matches against China and Jamaica, the team is scheduled to face Ireland at the end of June.
USWNT May/June Roster
Listed by: club; caps/goals
Goalkeepers (3):
- Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 0)
- Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 3)
- Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 1)
Defenders (8):
- Kerry Abello (Orlando Pride; 0/0)
- Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA; 159/25)
- Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 66/1)
- Naomi Girma (Chelsea FC, ENG; 44/2)
- Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 5/0)
- Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 2/0)
- Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 3/0)
- Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 107/2)
Midfielders (6):
- Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 33/1)
- Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 165/37)
- Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 2/0)
- Lo`eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 0/0)
- Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 5/2)
- Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED; 6/1)
Forwards (7):
- Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC; 78/22)
- Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 4/1)
- Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 23/10)
- Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 4/1)
- Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals; 7/2)
- Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 17/1)
- Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 3/0)
Building for the Future
Hayes continues to use the post-2024 Olympics period to expand the USWNT player pool, focusing on developing talent for the 2027 Women`s World Cup and 2028 Olympics. The goalkeeper situation highlights a lack of senior experience, as none of the keepers in this camp have more than three caps, and only one active player recently involved has more than 10 caps.
Hayes addressed this challenge, stating: “I’ve inherited that challenge… Alyssa Naeher played a lot of minutes and no one else played a lot of minutes so you can’t cut a corner on that stuff. Unfortunately, it will take a little bit of time… I want to ensure that from ’27 to ’28 to ’31 that we get the development pathways right for goalkeepers so that it is a lot more seamless than it is for me.”
Hayes hopes to gain clarity on her top goalkeepers by early July, with five matches scheduled between now and then. Her strategy for player experience is varied and includes increased use of the U-23 team. The U-23 squad will travel to Germany for games during this international window. Hayes mentioned that notable players like Jaedyn Shaw, Korbin Albert, and Mia Fishel (who recently returned from an ACL injury) would be on that U-23 trip.
Explaining the decision for certain players to join the U-23s instead of the senior camp, Hayes said: “Yes, [Fishel] could come in and sit on the bench for us, but it’s much better for her to go and play in Germany and get the experiences so that these players are tracking to compete in the place that we want them to come 2027… I think the trip to Germany for her, plus Jaedyn, plus Korbin will be, again, another step in their development.”
Hayes` period of experimentation has also coincided with a time when several key players have been unavailable for various reasons. This includes Trinity Rodman, who began consulting a doctor in London last month to address a persistent back issue.
Hayes provided an update on Rodman`s condition: “She’s doing really well. We speak regularly. It’s certainly been a multidisciplinary approach to supporting Trin… I think with regards to the issue in her back, she wants to get to a place where it doesn’t keep coming back so I think these are the right steps for her and I’ve definitely seen a lot of progress this week but unfortunately like anything, you can’t put a timeframe on it.”
Dominic Ashworth