USWNT broadcasts three-game slate for SheBelieves Cup in February
Laken Litman
College Football & Soccer Analyst
The United States women’s national team will play Brazil, Canada and Japan within the annual SheBelieves Cup this February, U.S. Soccer introduced Friday.
The four-team match will happen throughout three completely different cities from Feb. 16-22 because the USWNT continues its preparation for next summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The highest-ranked Individuals, who’re favorites to win their third consecutive World Cup, will face Canada on Feb. 16 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (7 p.m. ET); Japan on Feb. 19 at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tennessee (3:30 p.m. ET); and finish with Brazil on Feb. 22 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. ET). Broadcast info will not be but out there.
U.S. Soccer beforehand introduced two friendlies in New Zealand in opposition to the World Cup co-hosts in January. These matches will happen Jan. 17 at Sky Stadium in Wellington and Jan. 20 at Eden Park in Auckland — two stadiums the USWNT will play in the course of the group stage of the match.
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“The primary 5 video games of the 2023 schedule will probably be in opposition to groups taking part in within the World Cup, and we count on to verify just a few extra matches in opposition to high opponents earlier than we go to New Zealand subsequent summer season,” USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski stated. “We love the SheBelieves Cup for the world-class competitors it brings, the format that helps replicate group play at a World Cup and the general that means that it has for our crew and ladies’s groups.
“Clearly, you get extra relaxation days in a World Cup, however managing a roster with three video games over seven days in opposition to groups with three very completely different kinds of play is de facto good preparation for us as we proceed to develop as a crew towards subsequent summer season.”
The USWNT, which certified for each the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this 12 months, wants as a lot preparation as potential if it needs to defend its title.
FIFA not too long ago got here out with its newest world rankings and whereas the U.S. continues to be No. 1, it is by some fairly slim margins. The USWNT struggled to complete out its 12 months, shedding three of its final 4 matches to England, Spain and Germany. The Individuals did redeem themselves a bit by beating the Germans of their second match of a two-game sequence, 2-1.
Sweden, which had beforehand been ranked second on this planet, is now No. 3 behind Germany, whereas England, France, the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, Brazil and South Korea spherical out the highest 10.
The 2023 World Cup will probably be held throughout 9 cities in Australia and New Zealand and begins July 20, with the ultimate set for Aug. 20. The U.S. was drawn into Group E with Vietnam, the Netherlands and the winner of a Cameroon-Thailand-Portugal playoff that will probably be decided in February.
The USWNT will play all three group video games in New Zealand, with the squad opening the match in opposition to match beginner Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland on July 22. It’ll face the Netherlands on July 27 after which the playoff-winner on Aug. 1.
Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand lined school soccer, school basketball, the U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Soccer Crew and the Olympics at Sports activities Illustrated, USA At present and The Indianapolis Star. Her first e book, written in partnership with Rizzoli and Sports activities Illustrated and titled “Sturdy Like a Lady,” was printed in spring 2022 marking the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX.
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