A men’s World Cup champion has been crowned, 2022 is coming to an end and ’23 is right around the corner, which means the women’s World Cup cycle is officially underway. The U.S. women’s national team has endured plenty of trials and tribulations through ’22, with the Vlatko Andonovski–led squad ushering in a new generation of talent. Injuries have also plagued this young USWNT, impacting personnel decisions going forward.
News also broke this month that FIFA has rejected a proposal to expand the World Cup rosters to 26 players, as had been done for the men’s tournament. Instead, as it stands today, the women will have to make do with a 23-player team, making roster decisions all the more critical.
Looking to the year ahead, which culminates with a July World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, there is already plenty of speculation on who will be Andonovski’s final 23. Here is a perhaps-too-early forecast of who will make up the USWNT’s core come 2023.
