U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes named a 26-player roster featuring North Carolina Courage forward Ashley Sanchez for upcoming October friendlies against Spain. Sanchez returns after a stellar NWSL campaign that saw her tie the single-season scoring record with 20 goals.
The U.S. Women’s National Team is preparing for a marquee test against the reigning world champions. Head coach Emma Hayes announced a 26-player training camp roster for two high-profile friendlies against Spain, bringing back several key veterans while rewarding top performers from the National Women’s Soccer League.
The matches are scheduled for Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with a 2:30 p.m. ET kickoff on TBS and HBO Max in English and on Telemundo, Universo and Peacock in Spanish, presented by Purina. This will be followed by a rematch on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, starting at 7 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max in English and on Universo and Peacock in Spanish, presented by AT&T, with radio coverage on Westwood One Sports and the Oct. 13 game also available in Spanish on Fútbol de Primera. Both fixtures pit the two top-ranked teams in the world against each other, offering Hayes a vital measuring stick as preparations ramp up for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. According to U.S. Soccer, Spain has lost just two games in regulation time since the end of the 2024 Olympics—a span of 27 matches—with both of those losses coming to England at Wembley Stadium in London.
Ashley Sanchez Earns Long-Awaited Recall After Record-Setting NWSL Form
The headline of the roster drop belongs to Ashley Sanchez, who storms back into the national team setup after an absence of nearly two years. The North Carolina Courage star last played for her country in October 2024, and earned her last call-up in January 2025, having accumulated 28 appearances and three goals for the senior national team.
That exile ended following an extraordinary club campaign. Sanchez has netted 20 goals across 26 matches this season, tying the record set by Temwa Chawinga in 2024. While she traditionally operates as a central midfielder controlling tempo, her transition into an inverted attacking role out wide for North Carolina unlocked a prolific scoring touch.
“I think Ashley’s had an extraordinary season, not just in terms of the number of goals she’s scored, but I think consistency in her performance. I think she’s deserving of that, based on this season’s play. I didn’t see that last season nor the season before, so I think it’s been a big step up for her. And I think at her stage of her career, I’m sure she doesn’t want to waste the opportunities that are in front of her.”
Emma Hayes, head coach of the national team, via WRAL
Hayes noted that conversations with North Carolina Courage coach Mak Lind highlighted Sanchez’s improved maturity and determination to break back into the international pool. Listed as a forward on the October roster, Sanchez enters the camp with an opportunity to stake her claim ahead of tournament qualifying, with Hayes adding via WRAL, “Like she has done a great job with herself. I had a conversation with Mak Lind, who was so complimentary about her maturity this season, her desire to really want to get back into the national team, and she’s demonstrated that with her behaviors.”
Roster Additions Bring Fresh Faces and Tactical Shifts
After naming three consecutive rosters featuring zero uncapped players, Hayes injected four fresh faces into the program: goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz of Bay FC, Angel City fullback Evelyn Shores, Portland Thorns forward Pietra Tordin, and San Diego Wave forward Trinity Byars earned their maiden senior call-ups, with Byars and Tordin bringing extensive youth international experience. Shores is listed as a midfielder on the roster but is viewed by the coaching staff as a left back.
The squad also features notable position adjustments and veteran returns.
“While we are very much looking forward to playing the World Cup champions, I keep coming back to the journey that we are all on together. This camp will be about reestablishing connections after a long break, looking at a few players who haven’t been with us this cycle, and putting on the best performances we can in front of packed stadiums. Of course, our dual focus will also be on our final preparations for the World Cup qualifying tournament.”
Emma Hayes, U.S. women’s national team head coach, via U.S. Soccer
Training Camp Opens at U.S. Soccer’s New Georgia Facility
The squad gathers on Oct. 6 to begin training at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia. The sessions mark the senior women’s team’s first visit to the federation’s new permanent home before the team travels north to Washington, D.C.
For Hayes and her staff, the October window functions as a critical evaluation phase. With World Cup qualifying matches in the Concacaf W Championship looming in November and December, the matches against the world champions provide an unsparing examination of depth, form, and tactical flexibility.
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