The U.S women's national team will close out their summer friendlies with some extra sizzle on Wednesday. The squad is coming off a pair of dominating wins against Ireland, each game a 4-0 victory, ahead of their regional battle against long-time Concacaf rivals Canada. While the eight goals scored across two games brought excitement, Canada will pose different challenges against a younger USWNT roster that is eager to leave an impression on the coaching staff, with the stakes higher than the previous six months of the year. 

This will be the 67th all-time meeting between the two nations, and the storylines around this upcoming match aren't just about who will line up against USA's neighbors to the north, but how the last six months of player debuts and breakthroughs have reshaped the core of the USWNT player pool moving forward. Following the game against Canada, the USWNT will next gather during international windows in the fall. That's roughly 13 months from the November 2026 Concacaf W Championship, which serves as FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers for the region.

There's plenty to prove for players hopeful to be part of the team's plans moving toward the 2027-28 cycle, so let's take a look at who is trending upward to stick around and who might need a final test against Canada to determine their stake among the pool:

Why so many new faces?

There's an argument to be made about how generational turnover has helped reshape with USWNT, with massive amounts of player retirements over the last two years combined with new head coach Emma Hayes and a staff prepared to meet the moment by tearing the band-aid off completely and heal stronger since their historic 2023 World Cup elimination. A 2024 Olympic gold medal has put the USWNT back on top of the podiums and rankings, but 2025 has been a year of player pool expansion and experimentation with several members of the gold medal squad largely unavailable for selection for the last six months.

The attacking line of "Triple Espresso" with Sophia Wilson, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman has not been with the squad for nearly the entirety of 2025. Rodman featured in camps against Brazil but has since been ruled out with no timetable for return as she manages a lingering back injury. Meanwhile, Wilson and Swanson are away on maternity leave and are not expected to return this year. Outside of Hayes' ideal forward trio, there are defender Naomi Girma and midfielder Rose Lavelle, who each returned to the roster in May and June, respectively. 

What's at stake?

There have been plenty of new additions with so many regulars unavailable for selection, and two blowout wins against an injured Ireland mean another measuring stick is needed, so Canada is the perfect choice. The regional rivals' physical, hardened resolve and battle-tested players offer the ultimate stress test.

Emma Hayes has been transparent about narrowing down her expanded pool of players to a select core of players following the summer window. It's part of the larger timetable for the coaching staff and the build-up to the 2027-28 cycle. Some players this year have only been part of the senior national team program for six months, while others have been with the group since last fall. 

Must see against Canada

The reality is spots on a roster for third, fourth, or fifth options outside of an ideal starting 11 are at play, and Canada is an optimal test for players competing for those depth positions. 

Here are five players we want to see get the start against Canada on Wednesday:

Avery Patterson: The outside back has been impressive across her five appearances with the USWNT. Her efforts against China in May were an improvement after first-time minutes against Brazil in April, and her start against Ireland came with her first national team goal. While Hayes was complimentary of the fullback's improvement and her listening skills, she also noted the need for Patterson to be tested defensively. She'll get that against Canada. 

Michelle Cooper: The winger has made the most of her appearances and has been in the majority of national team camps this year. Her play has stood out, and it's hard to miss when it functions like a jeep being driven by a viper. She goes after opposing backlines with a fearlessness to her play that to others might seem reckless, but with more minutes and matches, can be the exact type of energy needed.

Yazmeen Ryan: Another option among the forward core who can provide crafty wing play, but a club move to the Houston Dash hasn't quite panned out alongside a lingering injury. She scored her first national team goal against Ireland on Thursday after spending time in USWNT camps since last fall. 

Mandy McGlynn: No goalkeeper was given consecutive starts in 2025 except for Phallon Tulis-Joyce. With Canada as the top-ranked opponent this window, we could see McGlynn get a start in goal as the most capped goalkeeper on the roster with five starts already. But her moments against top teams in Brazil, she showed some room for improvement on some errors made. A run-out against Canada will be a great test to judge her growth.

Giselle Thompson: The fullback is having a great club season alongside sister Alyssa Thompson with Angel City FC, and the defender has put together respectable performances to the point that the coaching staff wanted to see more across attacking lines. She received a call-up as part of the forward core earlier this month, but injury pulled her out of camps. Now she's back in action with a chance to make trouble against a formidable foe.