The U.S. women’s national team’s World Cup year kicks off with a trip to New Zealand, but it will have to do so without two of its biggest names in Sophia Smith and Megan Rapinoe.
Smith, the reigning NWSL MVP, will miss out due to a foot injury (although manager Vlatko Andonovski said she was already back in light training on her own) while Rapinoe is struggling with an ankle injury. However, defender Emily Sonnett and forward Lynn Williams will return to the side after missing much of the last year with injuries.
Serving as part of a dry run to the 2023 World Cup, which begins July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, the U.S. will face the Football Ferns at Sky Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand on Jan. 18 (10 p.m. ET on Jan. 17 in the U.S.) before a rematch three days later in Auckland’s Eden Park. All three of the USWNT’s group stage matches at the 2023 World Cup will take place between the two stadiums.
