The U.S. women’s national team passed its first big test of 2026, winning the SheBelieves Cup with a perfect three wins from three while not conceding a goal.
Manager Emma Hayes stuck to her word and called in the best available roster she could. Major stars, like Sophia Wilson (maternity leave), Mal Swanson (maternity leave), Cat Macario (hip), Tierna Davidson (knee) and Michelle Cooper (foot), were all missing, but the U.S. defeated Argentina, 2–0, Canada, 1–0, and Colombia, 1–0. The year of experimentation is truly over, and now the task of developing a core group of players for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is here.
