The USWNT squad is relying on youth and experience in its bid for a third straight World Cup
From CNN's Ben Morse
The 23-player US Women’s National Team (USWNT) squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup squad features a mix of new faces combined with some familiar ones.
Forwards Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, midfielder Julie Ertz, defender Kelley O’Hara and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher all have two Women’s World Cup titles to their names, while four others were part of the team’s 2019 success in France.
Alongside the experienced core — Morgan, Rapinoe and O’Hara become the 10th, 11th and 12th USWNT players to be selected for four or more tournaments — is a selection of players making their World Cup debuts.
Chief among those 14 first timers selected by head coach Vlatko Andonovski are 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, who was recently the No. 1 overall pick in the NWSL draft, and Trinity Rodman, daughter of basketball great Dennis.
A selection of famous faces helped to announce the squad in June as the USWNT bids to win its third consecutive World Cup title.
From US President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden to singer Taylor Swift and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, a plethora of star-studded names appeared in a video on the USWNT Twitter page, accompanied with their own congratulatory message.
“For nearly 40 years, the US Women’s National Soccer Team has epitomized what it means to be a champion. From lifting trophies, to fighting for gender equity, these women have been a source of inspiration to Americans of all ages – our family included,” President Biden began the announcement video by saying.
The first lady added: “Joe and I can’t wait to watch this team soar at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now, we’re so excited to help unveil the 23 players who will represent the USA in Australia and New Zealand.”
5 min ago
Here's the starting lineups for the US vs the Netherlands
From CNN staff
11 min ago
USWNT faces the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final
From CNN's Matias Grez
Tournament favorite the USWNT takes on 2019 runner-up the Netherlands in what is without a doubt the most hotly-anticipated match-up of the group stages in Australia and New Zealand.
Off the back of a comfortable 3-0 win over Vietnam in its Group E opener, the USWNT will now face a much sterner test against a Netherlands team and squad that boasts many of the same players that reached the final four years ago.
The Oranje got its campaign at this World Cup off to a winning start thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Portugal. Despite missing star forward Vivianne Miedema through injury, the Dutch can still rely on the dangerous attacking trio of Daniëlle van de Donk, Lieke Martens and Jill Roord.
“We approach every game like it’s the biggest game, and this game is no different,” USWNT star Alex Morgan told reporters. “But we have played Netherlands historically in very important matches: 2019, Olympics, even before then. “So this is going to be an incredibly difficult match-up. Very challenging. We watched the Netherlands the other night, and they have a lot of the same players as we played them in the World Cup four years ago. “A little bit different of a formation, but still same personnel, and that’s important for kind of team chemistry. So just knowing that we know that we have to be at our best, and we’re doing everything we can at the training field, in the meetings, watching video, doing everything we can. It’s going to be a very good match-up.”
How to watch: In the US, the match will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream the match by signing in with your TV provider at foxsports.com or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.
A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.
15 min ago
This year's World Cup is the latest meetup for these "soccer friends" from 4 different states
From CNN's Tara Subramaniam in Wellington, New Zealand
From left: Melissa Limato, Claire Milan, Lauren Stratton and Kim Harper have been traveling together to watch soccer for about three years. Tara Subramaniam/CNN
After attending the 2019 Women's World Cup finals in France, Melissa Limato from Chicago decided to go to as many of the future tournaments as she could.
When the 2023 location was announced she texted her "soccer friends": Claire Milan from Charleston, North Carolina, Lauren Stratton from Atlanta, Georgia and Kim Harper from Nashville, Tennessee.
Milan and Limato are cousins, while Limato and Stratton met through work and Stratton and Harper were college roommates.
Prior to this year's World Cup, some combination of the four have been to at least three tournaments together: the SheBelieves Cup, the Women's International Champions Cup and the 2022 UEFA European Women's Football Championship.
As for what their next "soccer adventure" will be, they aren't sure, but Limato told CNN, "I think on my mind the first one is 2028, LA. Going to go for the Olympics."
15 min ago
Female soccer players earn 25 cents to the dollar of men at World Cup, CNN analysis finds
From CNN's Issy Ronald, Antonio Jarne and Krystina Shveda
Soccer players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by men at their World Cup last year, a new CNN analysis found.
Still, that is an improvement: last time, in 2019, it was less than 8 cents per dollar, according to data provided by world governing body FIFA and global players’ union FIFPRO.
The gender pay gap is very much alive and kicking at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
FIFA announced in June that, for the first time, about $49 million of the record $110 million Women’s World Cup prize money would go directly to individual players — at least $30,000 each for participating and $270,000 to each player on the winning squad.
The rest of the pot is going to be split between participating federations who will decide what share of this money to allocate to teams and players — if any at all. In addition to prize money, FIFA committed to paying $42 million to the federations and players’ clubs for Women’s World Cup preparations.
When asked for comment, soccer’s world governing body referred CNN to what FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in March when the organization announced details of the prize money on offer at this year’s tournament.
Smith, at age 22 years and 346 days, was also the fourth USWNT player ever to score two or more goals in their women’s World Cup debut.
To cap it off, the NWSL MVP was also named Player of the Match against Vietnam by tournament organizers.
“It’s so exciting. Every minute of that game was fun and the crowd was amazing and I think it was a good place to start in this tournament but I know we have so much more to get to,” Smith said after the game. “I feel relieved, I was a little bit anxious going into the tournament so its good to have a game under our belt and to kind of get a feel for it and know what to expect, but we know that the next two games are going to be hard and we’re just, you know, we’re going to celebrate this for a second but then put our focus into the next game.”
Back-to-back defending champions USA play against the Netherlands, in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, on July 27 in Wellington, New Zealand (July 26 in the US).
37 min ago
How the US became the dominant force in women's soccer
From CNN's Aimee Lewis
The United States women’s national team kicked off their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Vietnam in the Group E match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Should the USWNT lift the trophy next month, it would be the first time in history that a team — men’s or women’s — has won three consecutive World Cup titles.
But how did they become so dominant? Every dynasty has a beginning, that someone or something which sets in motion the line of succession; the visionary with the ambitious plan, aiming for a future others think fanciful; the iron-willed followers bringing it to fruition, leaving unshakable foundations from which others can build.
Anson Dorrance knew he was a pioneer during his eight years as head coach of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT). It was obvious, he says. “You’re trying to do things that have never been done,” he tells CNN Sport.
Any understanding of how and why the USWNT is women’s soccer’s dominant force, a four-time Women’s World Cup winner and favorite to win the next edition currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand, must start with Dorrance, the groundbreaker and the bricklayer.
Read all about the US history makers and the groundbreakers here.
38 min ago
Here's what happened in the US team's opening match
From CNN's Tara Subramaniam in Auckland, New Zealand and Homero DeLaFuente
The US Women's National Team kicked off their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory in the Group E match at Eden Park in in Auckland, New Zealand.
After the match, US coach Vlatko Andonovski said he thought his team should have scored more goals in their win over Vietnam.
"I wouldn't say that I expected more goals but with the way that we played and the opportunities that we created I sure wanted to see more goals and I thought that we deserved to score more goals," Andonovski told reporters Saturday.
With the USWNT looking for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title, Sophia Smith — starring in her first World Cup — opened the scoring with a low left finish in the 14th minute on an assist from Alex Morgan.
Morgan had a chance to double the UWSNT’s score in the 44th minute but had her penalty from the spot saved by Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.
However, Smith made it a first half brace, scoring her second goal seven minutes into extra-time to give USA a two-goal lead.
In the 77th minute, US co-captain Lindsey Horan added an insurance goal for the American women, firing in a cross from Smith into the back of the net.
And coach Andonovski was pleased with the performance of the US' young stars, saying they met his expectations.
"I wholeheartedly believe that these players are capable of doing what they did," he said.
"Besides Sophia [Smith], I thought [Emily] Fox and Trinity [Rodman] were really good on the right side, I thought Andi [Sullivan] was a key figure in the middle of the field in regaining possession of the ball in some important attacks and Naomi [Girma] in the back I thought she looked like she had three World Cups behind her, so comfortable."
Looking forward to the team's next game against the Netherlands in Wellington on Thursday, Andonovski said he believed the younger players will be "a little more encouraged" and have "less nerves."
The US Women's National Team faces the Netherlands in a Group E clash at the FIFA Women's World Cup in a rematch of the 2019 final. The USWNT beat Vietnam in its opening game, while the Dutch defeated Portugal.
Teams are competing in the opening group stage. Thirty-two squads will play at 10 venues across Australia and New Zealand, with the field gradually narrowing over the next four weeks. The USWNT is going for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title.
The 23-player US Women’s National Team (USWNT) squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup squad features a mix of new faces combined with some familiar ones.
Forwards Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, midfielder Julie Ertz, defender Kelley O’Hara and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher all have two Women’s World Cup titles to their names, while four others were part of the team’s 2019 success in France.
Alongside the experienced core — Morgan, Rapinoe and O’Hara become the 10th, 11th and 12th USWNT players to be selected for four or more tournaments — is a selection of players making their World Cup debuts.
Chief among those 14 first timers selected by head coach Vlatko Andonovski are 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, who was recently the No. 1 overall pick in the NWSL draft, and Trinity Rodman, daughter of basketball great Dennis.
A selection of famous faces helped to announce the squad in June as the USWNT bids to win its third consecutive World Cup title.
From US President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden to singer Taylor Swift and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, a plethora of star-studded names appeared in a video on the USWNT Twitter page, accompanied with their own congratulatory message.
“For nearly 40 years, the US Women’s National Soccer Team has epitomized what it means to be a champion. From lifting trophies, to fighting for gender equity, these women have been a source of inspiration to Americans of all ages – our family included,” President Biden began the announcement video by saying.
The first lady added: “Joe and I can’t wait to watch this team soar at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now, we’re so excited to help unveil the 23 players who will represent the USA in Australia and New Zealand.”
Tournament favorite the USWNT takes on 2019 runner-up the Netherlands in what is without a doubt the most hotly-anticipated match-up of the group stages in Australia and New Zealand.
Off the back of a comfortable 3-0 win over Vietnam in its Group E opener, the USWNT will now face a much sterner test against a Netherlands team and squad that boasts many of the same players that reached the final four years ago.
The Oranje got its campaign at this World Cup off to a winning start thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Portugal. Despite missing star forward Vivianne Miedema through injury, the Dutch can still rely on the dangerous attacking trio of Daniëlle van de Donk, Lieke Martens and Jill Roord.
“We approach every game like it’s the biggest game, and this game is no different,” USWNT star Alex Morgan told reporters. “But we have played Netherlands historically in very important matches: 2019, Olympics, even before then. “So this is going to be an incredibly difficult match-up. Very challenging. We watched the Netherlands the other night, and they have a lot of the same players as we played them in the World Cup four years ago. “A little bit different of a formation, but still same personnel, and that’s important for kind of team chemistry. So just knowing that we know that we have to be at our best, and we’re doing everything we can at the training field, in the meetings, watching video, doing everything we can. It’s going to be a very good match-up.”
How to watch: In the US, the match will air on your local Fox channel. You can also stream the match by signing in with your TV provider at foxsports.com or on the Fox Sports app. Telemundo and Peacock are providing Spanish-language coverage.
A full breakdown of media rights holders in each country is available on the FIFA website.
From left: Melissa Limato, Claire Milan, Lauren Stratton and Kim Harper have been traveling together to watch soccer for about three years. Tara Subramaniam/CNN
After attending the 2019 Women's World Cup finals in France, Melissa Limato from Chicago decided to go to as many of the future tournaments as she could.
When the 2023 location was announced she texted her "soccer friends": Claire Milan from Charleston, North Carolina, Lauren Stratton from Atlanta, Georgia and Kim Harper from Nashville, Tennessee.
Milan and Limato are cousins, while Limato and Stratton met through work and Stratton and Harper were college roommates.
Prior to this year's World Cup, some combination of the four have been to at least three tournaments together: the SheBelieves Cup, the Women's International Champions Cup and the 2022 UEFA European Women's Football Championship.
As for what their next "soccer adventure" will be, they aren't sure, but Limato told CNN, "I think on my mind the first one is 2028, LA. Going to go for the Olympics."
Soccer players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by men at their World Cup last year, a new CNN analysis found.
Still, that is an improvement: last time, in 2019, it was less than 8 cents per dollar, according to data provided by world governing body FIFA and global players’ union FIFPRO.
The gender pay gap is very much alive and kicking at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
FIFA announced in June that, for the first time, about $49 million of the record $110 million Women’s World Cup prize money would go directly to individual players — at least $30,000 each for participating and $270,000 to each player on the winning squad.
The rest of the pot is going to be split between participating federations who will decide what share of this money to allocate to teams and players — if any at all. In addition to prize money, FIFA committed to paying $42 million to the federations and players’ clubs for Women’s World Cup preparations.
When asked for comment, soccer’s world governing body referred CNN to what FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in March when the organization announced details of the prize money on offer at this year’s tournament.
Smith, at age 22 years and 346 days, was also the fourth USWNT player ever to score two or more goals in their women’s World Cup debut.
To cap it off, the NWSL MVP was also named Player of the Match against Vietnam by tournament organizers.
“It’s so exciting. Every minute of that game was fun and the crowd was amazing and I think it was a good place to start in this tournament but I know we have so much more to get to,” Smith said after the game. “I feel relieved, I was a little bit anxious going into the tournament so its good to have a game under our belt and to kind of get a feel for it and know what to expect, but we know that the next two games are going to be hard and we’re just, you know, we’re going to celebrate this for a second but then put our focus into the next game.”
Back-to-back defending champions USA play against the Netherlands, in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, on July 27 in Wellington, New Zealand (July 26 in the US).
The United States women’s national team kicked off their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Vietnam in the Group E match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Should the USWNT lift the trophy next month, it would be the first time in history that a team — men’s or women’s — has won three consecutive World Cup titles.
But how did they become so dominant? Every dynasty has a beginning, that someone or something which sets in motion the line of succession; the visionary with the ambitious plan, aiming for a future others think fanciful; the iron-willed followers bringing it to fruition, leaving unshakable foundations from which others can build.
Anson Dorrance knew he was a pioneer during his eight years as head coach of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT). It was obvious, he says. “You’re trying to do things that have never been done,” he tells CNN Sport.
Any understanding of how and why the USWNT is women’s soccer’s dominant force, a four-time Women’s World Cup winner and favorite to win the next edition currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand, must start with Dorrance, the groundbreaker and the bricklayer.
Read all about the US history makers and the groundbreakers here.
The US Women's National Team kicked off their 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory in the Group E match at Eden Park in in Auckland, New Zealand.
After the match, US coach Vlatko Andonovski said he thought his team should have scored more goals in their win over Vietnam.
"I wouldn't say that I expected more goals but with the way that we played and the opportunities that we created I sure wanted to see more goals and I thought that we deserved to score more goals," Andonovski told reporters Saturday.
With the USWNT looking for an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title, Sophia Smith — starring in her first World Cup — opened the scoring with a low left finish in the 14th minute on an assist from Alex Morgan.
Morgan had a chance to double the UWSNT’s score in the 44th minute but had her penalty from the spot saved by Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh.
However, Smith made it a first half brace, scoring her second goal seven minutes into extra-time to give USA a two-goal lead.
In the 77th minute, US co-captain Lindsey Horan added an insurance goal for the American women, firing in a cross from Smith into the back of the net.
And coach Andonovski was pleased with the performance of the US' young stars, saying they met his expectations.
"I wholeheartedly believe that these players are capable of doing what they did," he said.
"Besides Sophia [Smith], I thought [Emily] Fox and Trinity [Rodman] were really good on the right side, I thought Andi [Sullivan] was a key figure in the middle of the field in regaining possession of the ball in some important attacks and Naomi [Girma] in the back I thought she looked like she had three World Cups behind her, so comfortable."
Looking forward to the team's next game against the Netherlands in Wellington on Thursday, Andonovski said he believed the younger players will be "a little more encouraged" and have "less nerves."
