Alex Morgan, Naomi Girma and Taylor Kornieck to represent USWNT; Kailen Sheridan to represent Canada
Four San Diego Wave FC players were named to 2023 SheBelieves Cup rosters for World Cup tune-ups between the United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil.
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski named Naomi Girma, Taylor Kornieck and Alex Morgan to the 23-player roster, while Canadian National Team head coach Bev Priestman named Kailen Sheridan to the 18-player roster.
All three Wave players were with the USA for its successful trip to New Zealand in January, starting and making a difference in two wins over the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup cohost Football Ferns. Girma continued to impress from her center back position, and Morgan and Kornieck each bagged a goal.
The 2023 SheBelieves Cup kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 16 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla., as Japan takes on Brazil at 1 p.m. PT and the USA faces Canada at 4 p.m. PT. The tournament resumes on Sunday, Feb. 19, as the competition moves to Nashville’s GEODIS Park with the USA playing the first match of the day against Japan at 12:30 p.m. PT and Canada faces Brazil at 3:30 p.m. PT. The tournament concludes on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, with Canada taking on Japan at 1 p.m. PT and the USA facing Brazil in the tournament finale at 4 p.m. PT.
All four nations will be participating in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer and all four are ranked in the top 11 in the world with the USA at No. 1, Canada at No. 6, Brazil at No. 9 and Japan at No. 11.
Morgan, who comes into the SheBelieves Cup with 201 matches played for the USWNT, will be honored before the opening match in Orlando for earning her historic 200th cap, that came against Germany in the final USWNT match of 2022 in Harrison, New Jersey.
The SheBelieves Cup, part of U.S. Soccer’s SheBelieves initiative to inspire and empower women and girls to achieve their goals in sport and beyond, was first played in 2016. The USA won the inaugural edition and France took top honors in 2017. The USA won again in 2018, and England finished first in 2019, but the USA returned to the top of the podium in 2020, the first title for Andonovski, and took top honors in both 2021 and 2022.
At the World Cup, which is taking place from July 20-Aug. 20 in 10 stadiums across nine host cities — five in Australia and four in New Zealand — the USA will open Group E play against Vietnam on July 22 at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, which will also serve as the host venue for the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 World Cup on July 20 when New Zealand plays Norway. The USA then faces Netherlands on July 27 at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara, followed by the Group A Playoff Winner on Aug. 1 at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.
