Emma Hayes, the head coach of the United States women’s national team, has indicated that there will be considerable changes to the lineup for the upcoming friendly against Chile on Tuesday, after a decisive 6-0 victory over Paraguay last Saturday.
“There will be modifications to the team, as I mentioned earlier. I am assembling an entirely new lineup, which will present a different set of challenges, whether that involves first-time caps or a lack of experience playing together as a unit,” Hayes told the media in anticipation of the friendly at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara.
“One decision I have nearly finalized, considering the players’ current status with their NWSL clubs, is to refrain from starting a player in two consecutive matches.”
Following their recent win, the USWNT is now targeting a sixth consecutive victory as they prepare not only for the SheBelieves Cup in March but also for future qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup. With this objective in mind, the coach emphasized that January’s camp will act as a testing phase for a roster featuring several new and younger call-ups.
“This period is focused on identifying which players we believe will be essential to that core group. Then, it’s about determining which players will be vital to that pool, and which groups are aimed for 2028 and 2031. It involves managing multiple objectives simultaneously, but that is part of the development process,” Hayes explained.
“I have a clear understanding of the player pool. I know which group of athletes we will be focusing on as we prepare for World Cup qualification.”
As per U.S. Soccer, Tuesday’s friendly will mark the USWNT’s “first full international match” at Harder Stadium.
After the January window, Hayes will shift her focus to matches this spring against Argentina, Canada, and Colombia during the SheBelieves Cup.
