SAN DIEGO (Feb. 19, 2024) – As the FIFA international window approaches, San Diego Wave FC has eight players representing their respective countries. Defenders Abby Dahlkemper and Naomi Girma and forward Jaedyn Shaw will join the U.S. Women’s National Team, goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan will join the Canadian Women’s National Team, Kaitlyn Torpey and Emily van Egmond will join the Matildas, defender Hanna Lundkvist will represent Sweden and forward Kyra Carusa will join the Republic of Ireland.
The USWNT open Group A play on Tuesday, February 20 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. against the winner of the Guyana vs. Dominican Republic Preliminary Round match (which will take place on Feb. 17). The US will then face Argentina on Friday, February 23 before finishing the first round against Mexico on Monday, February 26. All of the USA’s games will kick-off at 7:15 p.m. PT / 10:15 p.m. ET. Tickets to all matches, including matches at Snapdragon Stadium, are available here.
Veteran defender Dahlkemper gets her second consecutive USWNT call-up as she returned to the field last season after she recovered from major back surgery to help the Wave win the 2023 NWSL regular season title. Girma, the 2023 NWSL Defender of the Year, was most recently named the 2023 U.S. Women’s Soccer Player of the Year. Shaw, 19, dramatically scored in her hometown of San Diego on Oct. 29, 2023, in a 3-0 USWNT win over Colombia.
Canada will then take on Paraguay on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2:00 p.m. PT before rounding out the group stage against Costa Rica on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 3:00 p.m. PT. Sheridan, 28, played in 20 matches (20 starts) for the Wave in 2023 and finished the regular-season with a career-high and league-leading nine clean sheets. On the international level, Sheridan has made 43 appearances (38 starts) for Canada, while earning 21 clean sheets.
Australia will take on world number 47, Uzbekistan, in a two-match home-and-away series on 24 February 2024 at Tashkent’s Milliy Stadium (8.00pm AEDT), before returning to Australia for the final Asian Qualifier on 28 February 2024 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium (8.00pm AEDT). The winner of the series will be one of the Asian Football Confederation’s two representatives at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Defender Kaitlyn Torpey and midfielder Emily van Egmond have been named to the CommBank Matildas roster for Round 3 of the Asian Qualifiers for the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024. This marks Torpey’s first-ever senior national team call-up. She spent three seasons with Melbourne City where she started in 44 matches (45 starts), logging six goals and five assists as a defender. Van Egmond, the 14-year professional veteran, has competed in four World Cups and has appeared in over 100 matches for her country.
Newly-signed defender Hanna Lundkvist will join the Swedish National team for two UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Feb. 23 at 4:00 a.m. PT and again on Feb. 28 at 9:30 a.m. PT. Lundkvist made her Swedish national team debut in February 2023 and was also named to the 23-player squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but was later removed from the roster due to injury.
The Republic of Ireland will be playing two matches during the FIFA window. Ireland will travel to face Italy on Feb. 23 at 9:15 a.m. PT. Four days later, Ireland will return to Tallaght Stadium in Dublin to host Wales on Feb. 27 at 11:30 a.m. PT. Carusa will represent Ireland, first making her debut in the EURO 2022 qualifiers. Since joining the senior team, the San Diego native helped Ireland qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever and has scored seven international goals.
