The US women’s team is back in action and closer to winning gold this summer at the Paris Olympics. The team will host Iceland at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Thursday in the first game of a three-game affair. The victory tour will include two games against Iceland and even against Argentina. Head coach Emma Hayes has named a 26-player roster for the October global window as the public prepares for the 16th meeting in total between the two teams.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the tournament against Iceland:
View data
- Month: Thursday October 24 | Past: 7:30 pm Eastern Time
- Location: Q2 Stadium – Austin, TX
- TV: TBS | Tide: MAXIMUM
- Odd: USWNT-250; Draw +420; Iceland +580
Arguments
USWNT: The extreme presence in the arena saw the USWNT who were on the leading podium with gold medals around their necks. Hayes only had four games leading up to the Olympics, and now, 10 times later, she and the team are on a victory tour. There are 18 avid Olympic roster players available for variety, speed that some gold medalists lack due to nagging injuries. Up front Trinity Rodman is out of camp with a back shock, and Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson will both be part of the “triple espresso” assault.
Hayes has talked about the early stages of making plans for the 2027-28 cycle, and that includes expanding the pool of participants. She plans to use the entire roster throughout the window, and with six players in this camp not looking like seniors, there is a strong indication that more than one debut is a possibility.
Projected XI: Campbell; Malonson, Sonnett, Girma, Fox; Coffey, Horan, Sánchez; Ryan, Smith, Swanson.
Iceland: He Stelpurnar okkar (Our Ladies) have not won against the USWNT in their previous 15 conferences with 13 losses and two draws. They currently sit 13th in the FIFA Women’s Global Rankings and are fresh from qualifying for UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, a fifth consecutive achievement for the national team. Iceland manager Thorsteinn Halldórsson named 23 players for October’s friendlies against the United States, with most of the players part of the Euro qualifying squad. Striker Sveindís Jónsdóttir may be a common mark for defenders because the 23-year-old is the squad’s best-known goalscorer with 12 goals in 40 international appearances.
Prediction
The first few games at the world combine are also deadlocked to begin with. Add in some rotation and player control and perhaps this one is leaner than some expect. Select: USWNT 1, Iceland 0
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