
The U.S. women’s national team has just finished its biggest test since the 2024 Olympics: a three-game friendly series against Japan during the April FIFA international window.
Ranked fifth in the world, three places behind the USWNT, and fresh off winning the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, Japan was riding high. The U.S. opened up the series with a 2–1 win, dropped Game 2, 1–0, and then closed out the trio of friendlies with a confidence-boosting 3–0 win.