kids encyclopedia robot

United States women's national soccer team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
United States
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) The Stars and Stripes
Association United States Soccer Federation (USSF)
Confederation CONCACAF
Sub-confederation NAFU
Head coach Emma Hayes
Captain Lindsey Horan
Most caps Kristine Lilly (354)
Top scorer Abby Wambach (184)
FIFA code USA
First colors
Second colors
FIFA ranking
Current 1 Steady (December 7, 2018)
Highest 1 (various; most recently since August 2024)
Lowest 5 (June 2024)
First international
Flag of Italy.svg Italy 1–0 United States 
(Jesolo, Italy; August 18, 1985)
Biggest win
Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg United States 14–0 Dominican Republic 
(Vancouver, Canada; January 20, 2012)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil 4–0 United States 
(Hangzhou, China; September 27, 2007)
World Cup
Appearances 9 (first in 1991)
Best result Champions (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019)
Olympic Games
Appearances 8 (first in 1996)
Best result Gold Gold (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2024)
CONCACAF W Championship / CONCACAF W Gold Cup
Appearances 11 (first in 1991)
Best result Champions (1991, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2024)
Medal record
FIFA Women's World Cup
Gold 1991 China Team
Gold 1999 United States Team
Gold 2015 Canada Team
Gold 2019 France Team
Silver 2011 Germany Team
Bronze 1995 Sweden Team
Bronze 2003 United States Team
Bronze 2007 China Team
Olympic Games
Gold 1996 Atlanta Team
Gold 2004 Athens Team
Gold 2008 Beijing Team
Gold 2012 London Team
Gold 2024 Paris Team
Silver 2000 Sydney Team
Bronze 2020 Tokyo Team
CONCACAF W Championship
Gold 1991 Haiti Team
Gold 1993 United States Team
Gold 1994 Canada Team
Gold 2000 United States Team
Gold 2002 Canada / United States Team
Gold 2006 United States Team
Gold 2014 United States Team
Gold 2018 United States Team
Gold 2022 Mexico Team
Bronze 2010 Mexico Team
CONCACAF W Gold Cup
Gold 2024 United States Team
Demanding Equity (48274759786)
USWNT at a parade in their honor after the 2019 Championship

The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) plays soccer for the USA in international games. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) manages the team. They play in the CONCACAF league, which includes teams from North, Central America, and the Caribbean.

This team is super successful in women's soccer. They have won the Women's World Cup four times (in 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019). They also have five Olympic gold medals (in 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2024). Plus, they've won nine CONCACAF W Championship titles and one CONCACAF W Gold Cup title. The team has won a medal in almost every World Cup and Olympic event. The only times they didn't medal were in the 2016 Olympics and the 2023 Women's World Cup. Both times, Sweden beat them in a penalty shootout.

The USWNT has been ranked number one in the world for a long time. From 2008 to 2014, they were continuously ranked first. Since FIFA started ranking teams in 2003, the USWNT has been number one for a total of 13 years. The next closest team, Germany, has only been number one for 4.5 years. The USWNT has never been ranked lower than fifth in the world.

The team was named the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee's Team of the Year in 1997 and 1999. Sports Illustrated even chose the whole team as Sportswomen of the Year in 1999. In 2022, current and former USWNT players settled a lawsuit with U.S. Soccer. They received $24 million and a promise for equal pay between male and female soccer players. This was a big step for women's sports around the world.

Team History and Achievements

Main article: History of the United States women's national soccer team

Starting in the 1980s

In 1972, a law called Title IX was passed. It stopped gender discrimination in school programs that received federal money. This led to many new college soccer teams for women in the U.S. Women's soccer was also becoming popular worldwide.

In 1985, the U.S. Soccer Federation sent a team of college players to the Mundialito tournament in Italy. This was their first international women's soccer event. They played their first game on August 18, 1985, losing 1–0 to Italy. They finished fourth in the tournament.

University of North Carolina coach Anson Dorrance became the first full-time head coach in 1986. He wanted to build a strong team for future tournaments. Under Dorrance, the U.S. team did much better. They beat China, Brazil, and Japan at the next Mundialito. They finished second to Italy.

Dorrance brought in young players, like future stars Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and Kristine Lilly. He also included the first African-American player, Kim Crabbe. In 1988, the U.S. played in a FIFA tournament in China. This event was to see if a regular women's championship was possible. The U.S. lost to Norway in the quarterfinals.

Success in the 1990s

After the 1988 tournament, FIFA decided to create a new women's tournament. It was later called the "World Cup." The U.S. team qualified for the first World Cup by winning the CONCACAF Women's Championship in Haiti in 1991. They scored 49 goals and didn't let their opponents score any!

To get ready for the World Cup, the team played many games against European teams. Players even quit their jobs to train full-time. Coach Dorrance used a special strategy with three strong attackers: Michelle Akers, Carin Jennings, and April Heinrichs.

At the 1991 Women's World Cup, the U.S. won all three group games. They scored 11 goals and only let in 2. They beat Sweden 3–2, Brazil 5–0, and Japan 3–0. This put them in first place in their group. In the quarterfinals, they crushed Chinese Taipei 7–0. Akers scored five goals in that game!

In the semifinals, they beat Germany 5–2, with Jennings scoring three goals. The U.S. won the first Women's World Cup by beating Norway 2–1 in the final. Akers scored both goals. Akers was the top scorer with ten goals, and Jennings was named the best player.

Lilly356
Mia Hamm with Kristine Lilly (left)

Even after winning the World Cup, the team wasn't very famous in the U.S. They didn't get much support from the soccer federation, which was focused on the men's team. The women's team played only two games in 1992. But they came back strong in 1993, winning another CONCACAF Championship.

In 1994, Tony DiCicco became the new head coach. He led the team to qualify for the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup. They scored 36 goals and only allowed one! In 1995, the team got a permanent training center in Florida. They also played warm-up games paid for by Nike.

At the 1995 World Cup, the U.S. won their group. They beat Japan 4–0 in the quarterfinals but lost 1–0 to Norway in the semifinals. They finished in third place, beating China 2–0.

The team won the gold medal in the first-ever Olympic women's soccer tournament in 1996. They beat China 2–1 in the final in front of over 76,000 fans.

A huge moment was their win at the 1999 World Cup. They beat China 5–4 in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 tie. This win made women's sports much more popular in America. Over 90,000 people watched the final at the Rose Bowl. This was the largest crowd ever for a women's sporting event at the time. Brandi Chastain scored the winning penalty kick. Her celebration became famous, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

In the 2000 Summer Olympics, the USWNT almost won another gold medal. But Norway beat them in the final with a "golden goal" in extra time.

The 2000s and Beyond

Wambach 2003
Abby Wambach plays off a corner kick at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup bronze medal game against Canada

In the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, the U.S. beat Norway but lost 3–0 to Germany in the semifinals. They then beat Canada 3–1 to get third place. Abby Wambach was their top scorer with three goals.

At the 2004 Olympics, the U.S. won the gold medal. They beat Brazil 2–1 in the final with a goal from Wambach in extra time. This was the last major tournament for stars Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy.

In the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, the U.S. beat England 3–0. But then they had their biggest loss ever, losing 4–0 to Brazil in the semifinals. They bounced back to beat Norway for third place. Wambach scored 6 goals in this tournament.

The team won another gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. In 2009, a new professional women's soccer league, Women's Professional Soccer, was created.

The 2010s: More Triumphs

Jogadoras dos Estados Unidos no momento da cobrança dos pênaltis (DSC01176)
The USWNT at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

In the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, the U.S. beat Brazil 5–3 in a penalty shootout. Wambach's goal in the 122nd minute to tie the game 2–2 is considered one of the greatest goals in U.S. soccer history. The U.S. then beat France 3–1 in the semifinal. But they lost to Japan 3–1 in a penalty shootout in the final after the game ended 2–2. Hope Solo was named the best goalkeeper.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, the U.S. won their fourth gold medal. They beat Japan 2–1 in front of over 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. This was a record for a women's Olympic soccer game. The USWNT won every game in this tournament, scoring 16 goals.

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) started in 2013. This league gave players more chances to play competitive games. The U.S. team had a 43-game unbeaten streak that lasted two years. It ended with a 1–0 loss to Sweden in 2014.

Womens World Cup parade July 2015
A ticker tape parade in Manhattan celebrating the team's 2015 World Cup victory

The U.S. beat Japan 5–2 in the final of the 2015 World Cup. They became the first team to win three Women's World Cup titles. Carli Lloyd scored the fastest hat-trick (three goals) from the start of a World Cup final. After their win, the team had a ticker tape parade in New York City. It was the first time a women's sports team received such an honor.

In the 2016 Summer Olympics, the U.S. tied Sweden in the quarterfinals and lost 4–3 in a penalty shootout. This was the first time the USWNT didn't reach the Olympic gold medal game or the semifinals of a major tournament.

After the 2016 Olympics, the team tried new things. They lost three home games in one year, which was very unusual for them. In 2018, the U.S. won two big tournaments: the SheBelieves Cup and the Tournament of Nations. They went into the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers on a 21-game unbeaten streak. They won all five games, scoring 18 goals and not letting in any.

On November 8, 2018, the U.S. won their 500th game in team history, beating Portugal 1–0. In early 2019, they lost an away game to France 3–1. This ended their 28-game unbeaten streak.

The USWNT started their 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup by beating Thailand 13–0. This set a new record for goals in a Women's World Cup game. Alex Morgan scored five goals, matching a record. The U.S. then beat Chile 3–0 and Sweden 2–0. They won their group and faced Spain in the Round of 16, winning 2–1. They also won their next two games 2–1, beating France and then England. This sent them to their third straight World Cup final. They beat the Netherlands 2–0 in the final on July 7, 2019. This made them the first team to win four Women's World Cup titles.

After the World Cup win, Jill Ellis announced she would step down as head coach. Vlatko Andonovski took over in October 2019.

The 2020s: New Challenges

The USWNT started the 2020s by winning the 2020 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying tournament and the 2020 SheBelieves Cup.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many games to be canceled. The 2020 Summer Olympics were postponed until July 2021. The USWNT played their first game in eight months in November 2020, beating the Netherlands 2–0.

On July 21, 2021, the USWNT lost 3–0 to Sweden at the 2020 Summer Olympics. This ended their 44-match unbeaten streak. They then beat New Zealand and tied Australia 0–0. They finished second in their group and moved to the knockout stage. They tied the Netherlands 2–2 and won in a penalty shootout. In the semifinals, they lost 1–0 to Canada. They later beat Australia 4–3 to win the bronze medal, their first time winning bronze.

In July 2022, the team won their ninth CONCACAF W Championship. They won their group, scored 9 goals without letting any in, and then beat Costa Rica 3–0 and Canada 1–0. This win qualified them for the 2023 World Cup, the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

In November 2022, their 71-game home unbeaten streak ended with a 2–1 loss to Germany.

Chaos during USWNT v Germany Paris 2024
Chaos in the USWNT's defense at the 2024 Olympics.

At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the USWNT hoped to be the first team to win three World Cups in a row. They were in Group E with the Netherlands, Portugal, and Vietnam. They beat Vietnam 3–0, tied the Netherlands 1–1, and tied Portugal 0–0. They finished second in their group. In the Round of 16, they tied Sweden 0–0 and lost 5–4 in a penalty shootout. This was their earliest exit from a World Cup or Olympics. It was also the first time they didn't finish in the top 3 at a Women's World Cup. After this, coach Andonovski resigned, and Twila Kilgore became the interim coach. In August, the team dropped to third in the FIFA Women's World Ranking, their lowest ever.

Team Image and Media

Media Coverage

Major TV networks like ESPN, ABC, Fox Sports, and Telemundo have shown USWNT games. In 2021, a deal was made to broadcast games on TNT, TBS, and HBO Max until 2030. NBC also broadcasts the Olympic soccer tournament.

The 1999 World Cup final set a record for the largest U.S. TV audience for a women's soccer game, with 18 million viewers. This record was broken by the 2015 World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan.

The 2015 Women's World Cup Final was the most-watched soccer game in American broadcast history, for both men and women. It had 23 million viewers, more than the NBA finals or the Stanley Cup finals. The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was the most-watched Women's World Cup ever, with over 750 million viewers worldwide. It's now the second most-watched FIFA tournament, only behind the men's World Cup.

Game Attendance

The 1999 World Cup final had a world record attendance for a women's soccer event. Over 90,000 people watched the game at the Rose Bowl. This record was broken in 2022 by a UEFA Women's Champions League match in Spain. The record for Olympic women's soccer attendance was set in 2012. Over 80,000 fans watched the USWNT play Japan at Wembley Stadium.

Team Staff

Coaching Staff

Role Name Start date
Head coach England Emma Hayes May 2024
Assistant coach United States Denise Reddy May 2024
Goalkeeper coach England Stuart Searle May 2024

Technical Staff

Role Name Start date
Sporting director Wales Matt Crocker April 2023
Vice president of sporting United States Oguchi Onyewu May 2023
Women's program director Belgium Bart Caubergh May 2024

Head Coach History

Here's a look at the coaches who have led the team. Winning percentages are calculated by U.S. Soccer, with ties counting as half a win.

Name Years Matches Won Drawn Lost Win % World Cup Olympics
Republic of Ireland Ryan, MikeMike Ryan 1985 4 0 1 3 .125 N/A N/A
United States Dorrance, AnsonAnson Dorrance 1986–1994 92 65 5 22 .734 Gold medal icon (G initial).svg N/A
United States DiCicco, TonyTony DiCicco 1994–1999 121 105 8 8 .901 Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg
United States Heinrichs, AprilApril Heinrichs 2000–2004 124 87 20 17 .782 Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg Silver medal icon (S initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg
United States Ryan, GregGreg Ryan 2005–2007 55 45 9 1 .900 Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg —
Sweden Sundhage, PiaPia Sundhage 2008–2012 107 91 10 6 .897 Silver medal icon (S initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg
Scotland Sermanni, TomTom Sermanni 2012–2014 24 18 4 2 .833 — —
United States Ellis, JillJill Ellis 2012 (interim), 2014–2019 132 106 19 7 .875 Gold medal icon (G initial).svg Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 5th
United States Andonovski, VlatkoVlatko Andonovski 2019–2023 65 51 9 5 .854 9th Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg
United States Kilgore, TwilaTwila Kilgore 2023–2024 (interim) 14 10 3 1 .821 — —
England Hayes, EmmaEmma Hayes 2024–present 13 12 1 0 .962 Gold medal icon (G initial).svg
Totals 754 592 90 72 .845

Players

For all past and present players who have appeared for the national team, see List of United States women's international soccer players.

Current Squad

These 24 players were chosen for friendly games against England and the Netherlands in November and December 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are updated as of October 30, 2024, after the game against Argentina.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Naeher, AlyssaAlyssa Naeher (1988-04-20) April 20, 1988 (age 37) 113 0 United States Chicago Red Stars
18 1GK Tullis-Joyce, PhallonPhallon Tullis-Joyce (1996-10-19) October 19, 1996 (age 28) 0 0 England Manchester United
21 1GK Haught, MandyMandy Haught (1998-11-03) November 3, 1998 (age 26) 1 0 United States Utah Royals
2 2DF Sams, EmilyEmily Sams (1999-07-01) July 1, 1999 (age 25) 2 0 United States Orlando Pride
4 2DF Girma, NaomiNaomi Girma (2000-06-14) June 14, 2000 (age 25) 42 2 United States San Diego Wave FC
5 2DF Nighswonger, JennaJenna Nighswonger (2000-11-28) November 28, 2000 (age 24) 17 2 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC
12 2DF Davidson, TiernaTierna Davidson (1998-09-19) September 19, 1998 (age 26) 64 3 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC
14 2DF Sonnett, EmilyEmily Sonnett (1993-11-25) November 25, 1993 (age 31) 101 2 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC
15 2DF Malonson, AlyssaAlyssa Malonson (1999-04-09) April 9, 1999 (age 26) 1 0 United States Bay FC
20 2DF Krueger, CaseyCasey Krueger (1990-08-23) August 23, 1990 (age 34) 59 0 United States Washington Spirit
22 2DF Gaetino, EvaEva Gaetino (2002-12-17) December 17, 2002 (age 22) 1 0 France Paris Saint-Germain
23 2DF Fox, EmilyEmily Fox (1998-07-05) July 5, 1998 (age 26) 60 1 England Arsenal
3 3MF Albert, KorbinKorbin Albert (2003-10-13) October 13, 2003 (age 21) 20 1 France Paris Saint-Germain
10 3MF Horan, LindseyLindsey Horan (captain) (1994-05-26) May 26, 1994 (age 31) 159 36 France Lyon
11 3MF Yohannes, LilyLily Yohannes (2007-06-12) June 12, 2007 (age 18) 1 1 Netherlands Ajax
16 3MF Lavelle, RoseRose Lavelle (1995-05-14) May 14, 1995 (age 30) 108 24 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC
17 3MF Coffey, SamSam Coffey (1998-12-31) December 31, 1998 (age 26) 26 1 United States Portland Thorns FC
19 3MF Hershfelt, HalHal Hershfelt (2001-10-03) October 3, 2001 (age 23) 2 0 United States Washington Spirit
6 4FW Williams, LynnLynn Williams (1993-05-21) May 21, 1993 (age 32) 73 20 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC
7 4FW Thompson, AlyssaAlyssa Thompson (2004-11-07) November 7, 2004 (age 20) 11 1 United States Angel City FC
8 4FW Shaw, JaedynJaedyn Shaw (2004-11-20) November 20, 2004 (age 20) 19 8 United States San Diego Wave FC
9 4FW Sentnor, AllyAlly Sentnor (2004-02-18) February 18, 2004 (age 21) 0 0 United States Utah Royals
13 4FW Sears, EmmaEmma Sears (2001-02-23) February 23, 2001 (age 24) 2 1 United States Racing Louisville FC
24 4FW Ryan, YazmeenYazmeen Ryan (1999-02-25) February 25, 1999 (age 26) 2 0 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC

Recent Call-ups

These players were also called up to the squad in the last 12 months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Murphy, CaseyCasey Murphy (1996-04-25) April 25, 1996 (age 29) 20 0 United States North Carolina Courage v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
GK Campbell, JaneJane Campbell (1995-02-17) February 17, 1995 (age 30) 8 0 United States Houston Dash v. Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland; October 24, 2024
GK Kingsbury, AubreyAubrey Kingsbury (1991-11-20) November 20, 1991 (age 33) 2 0 United States Washington Spirit v. Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea; June 4, 2024
DF Mace, HailieHailie Mace (1997-03-24) March 24, 1997 (age 28) 9 0 United States Kansas City Current v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
DF Wiesner, KateKate Wiesner (2001-02-11) February 11, 2001 (age 24) 0 0 United States Washington Spirit v. Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico; July 13, 2024 PRE
DF Staab, SamSam Staab (1997-03-28) March 28, 1997 (age 28) 2 0 United States Chicago Red Stars v. Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea; June 4, 2024
DF Dahlkemper, AbbyAbby Dahlkemper (1993-05-13) May 13, 1993 (age 32) 84 0 United States Bay FC 2024 SheBelieves Cup
DF Sauerbrunn, BeckyBecky Sauerbrunn (1985-06-06) June 6, 1985 (age 40) 219 0 United States Portland Thorns FC 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup
DF Cook, AlanaAlana Cook (1997-04-11) April 11, 1997 (age 28) 29 1 United States Kansas City Current 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DF Thompson, GiseleGisele Thompson (2005-12-02) December 2, 2005 (age 19) 0 0 United States Angel City FC 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
DF Vignola, M.A.M.A. Vignola (1998-02-11) February 11, 1998 (age 27) 1 0 United States Angel City FC v. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China; December 5, 2023
MF Sanchez, AshleyAshley Sanchez (1999-03-16) March 16, 1999 (age 26) 28 3 United States North Carolina Courage v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
MF Moultrie, OliviaOlivia Moultrie (2005-09-17) September 17, 2005 (age 19) 5 2 United States Portland Thorns FC v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
MF Bethune, CroixCroix Bethune (2001-03-14) March 14, 2001 (age 24) 3 0 United States Washington Spirit 2024 Summer Olympics
MF Macario, CatarinaCatarina Macario (1999-10-04) October 4, 1999 (age 25) 19 8 England Chelsea 2024 Summer Olympics PRE
MF Sullivan, AndiAndi Sullivan (1995-12-20) December 20, 1995 (age 29) 52 3 United States Washington Spirit v. Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea; June 1, 2024 PRE
MF DeMelo, SavannahSavannah DeMelo (1998-03-26) March 26, 1998 (age 27) 7 0 United States Racing Louisville FC 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FW Swanson, MalloryMallory Swanson (1998-04-29) April 29, 1998 (age 27) 103 38 United States Chicago Red Stars v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
FW Smith, SophiaSophia Smith (2000-08-10) August 10, 2000 (age 24) 58 24 United States Portland Thorns FC v. Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina; October 30, 2024
FW Dunn, CrystalCrystal Dunn (1992-07-03) July 3, 1992 (age 32) 155 25 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC 2024 Summer Olympics
FW Rodman, TrinityTrinity Rodman (2002-05-20) May 20, 2002 (age 23) 46 10 United States Washington Spirit 2024 Summer Olympics
FW Morgan, AlexAlex Morgan (1989-07-02) July 2, 1989 (age 35) 224 123 Retired v. Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea; June 4, 2024
FW Purce, MidgeMidge Purce (1995-09-18) September 18, 1995 (age 29) 30 4 United States NJ/NY Gotham FC 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup
FW Fishel, MiaMia Fishel (2001-04-30) April 30, 2001 (age 24) 3 1 England Chelsea 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup PRE
FW Hatch, AshleyAshley Hatch (1995-05-25) May 25, 1995 (age 30) 22 5 United States Washington Spirit v. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China; December 5, 2023

Notes:

  • PRE: Preliminary squad

Recent Games and Results

Further information: 2023 in American soccer and 2024 in American soccer
Main article: United States women's national soccer team results

Here are the recent game results and upcoming matches for the USWNT.

      Win       Draw       Lose

2023 Matches

2024 Matches

2025 Matches

  • USWNT Schedule
  • USWNT Results
  • USA: Fixtures and Results – FIFA.com

All-Time Results Summary

Year M W D L GF GA Athlete of the Year Scoring leader G Assist leader A Coach Major tournam. result
1985 4 0 1 3 3 7 Sharon Remer Michelle Akers 2 Mike Ryan
1986 6 4 0 2 10 6 April Heinrichs Marcia McDermott 4 Anson Dorrance
1987 11 6 1 4 23 9 Carin Gabarra April Heinrichs 7 Carin Gabarra
Kristine Lilly		 2
1988 8 3 2 3 10 9 Joy Fawcett Carin Gabarra 5 Carin Gabarra
Kristine Lilly		 2
1989 1 0 1 0 0 0 April Heinrichs (none) (none)
1990 6 6 0 0 26 3 Michelle Akers Michelle Akers 9 Kristine Lilly 3
1991 28 21 1 6 122 22 Michelle Akers 39 Carin Gabarra 21 World Cup (champions)
1992 2 0 0 2 3 7 Carin Gabarra (3 players tied) 1 Tisha Venturini 2
1993 17 13 0 4 54 7 Kristine Lilly Mia Hamm 10 Michelle Akers 6
1994 13 12 0 1 59 6 Mia Hamm Michelle Akers 11 7
1995 25 21 2 2 91 17 Mia Hamm 19 Mia Hamm 18 Tony DiCicco World Cup (3rd place)
1996 24 21 2 1 80 17 Tiffeny Milbrett 13 18 Olympics (gold medal)
1997 18 16 0 2 67 13 Mia Hamm 18 Tiffeny Milbrett 14
1998 25 22 2 1 89 12 20 Mia Hamm 20
1999 29 25 2 2 111 15 Michelle Akers Tiffeny Milbrett 21 16 World Cup (champions)
2000 41 26 9 6 124 31 Tiffeny Milbrett Cindy Parlow 19 14 Lauren Gregg
April Heinrichs		 Olympics (silver medal)
2001 10 3 2 5 13 15 Tiffeny Milbrett 3 2 A. Heinrichs
2002 19 15 2 2 69 11 Shannon MacMillan 17 Aly Wagner 11
2003 23 17 4 2 58 14 Abby Wambach 9 Mia Hamm 9 World Cup (3rd place)
2004 34 28 4 2 104 23 31 Mia Hamm 22 Olympics (gold medal)
2005 9 8 1 0 24 0 Kristine Lilly Christie Welsh 7 Aly Wagner
Abby Wambach		 5 Greg Ryan
2006 22 18 4 0 57 10 Abby Wambach 17 Abby Wambach 8
2007 24 19 4 1 63 17 Abby Wambach 20 Kristine Lilly 8 World Cup (3rd place)
2008 36 33 2 1 84 17 Carli Lloyd Natasha Kai 15 Heather O'Reilly
Abby Wambach		 10 Pia Sundhage Olympics (gold medal)
2009 8 7 1 0 12 1 Hope Solo (3 players tied) 2 Heather O'Reilly 3
2010 18 15 2 1 48 8 Abby Wambach 16 Lori Lindsey 7
2011 20 13 4 3 41 17 8 Lauren Cheney
Megan Rapinoe		 5 World Cup (2nd place)
2012 32 28 3 1 120 21 Alex Morgan 28 Alex Morgan 21 P. Sundhage
Jill Ellis		 Olympics (gold medal)
2013 16 13 3 0 56 11 Abby Wambach 11 Lauren Holiday
Abby Wambach		 6 Tom Sermanni
2014 24 16 5 3 79 15 Lauren Holiday Carli Lloyd 15 Carli Lloyd 8 T. Sermanni
J. Ellis
2015 26 20 4 2 74 12 Carli Lloyd 18 Megan Rapinoe 10 J. Ellis World Cup (champions)
2016 25 22 3 0 92 10 Tobin Heath Carli Lloyd
Alex Morgan		 17 Carli Lloyd 11 Olympics (quarter-finals)
2017 16 12 1 3 40 13 Julie Ertz Alex Morgan 7 Megan Rapinoe 5
2018 20 18 2 0 65 10 Alex Morgan 18 12
2019 24 20 3 1 77 16 Julie Ertz Carli Lloyd 16 Christen Press 12 J. Ellis
Vlatko Andonovski		 World Cup (champions)
2020 9 9 0 0 33 1 Sam Mewis Lindsey Horan
Christen Press		 7 Lynn Williams 6 V. Andonovski
2021 24 17 5 2 76 12 Lindsey Horan Carli Lloyd 11 Carli Lloyd 6 Olympics (bronze medal)
2022 18 14 1 3 56 9 Sophia Smith 11 Mallory Pugh 7
2023 18 14 4 0 36 3 Naomi Girma Mallory Swanson 7 Alex Morgan
Trinity Rodman		 5 V. Andonovski
Twila Kilgore		 World Cup (Round of 16)
2024 21 17 3 1 45 11 TBD T. Kilgore
Emma Hayes		 Olympics (gold medal)
Total 754 592 90 72 2,297 458
Sources

Player Records

See also: List of United States women's international soccer players

Active players are shown in bold.

The USWNT has many players who have played over 200 games. These players are called "200-cap club" members. Kristine Lilly, Carli Lloyd, and Christie Pearce are the only players with more than 300 games!

In 2004, Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers were chosen for the FIFA 100. This list featured 125 of the greatest living soccer players, picked by Pelé.

Most Games Played (Caps)
Rank Player Caps Goals Years
1 Kristine Lilly 354 130 1987–2010
2 Carli Lloyd 316 134 2005–2021
3 Christie Pearce 311 2 1997–2015
4 Mia Hamm 276 158 1987–2004
5 Julie Foudy 274 45 1988–2004
6 Abby Wambach 255 184 2001–2015
7 Joy Fawcett 241 27 1987–2004
8 Heather O'Reilly 231 47 2002–2016
9 Alex Morgan 224 123 2010–2024
10 Becky Sauerbrunn 219 0 2008–

Source(s)

Most Goals Scored
Rank Player Goals Caps Years Avg
1 Abby Wambach 184 255 2001–2015 0.72
2 Mia Hamm 158 276 1987–2004 0.57
3 Carli Lloyd 134 316 2005–2021 0.42
4 Kristine Lilly 130 354 1987–2010 0.37
5 Alex Morgan 123 224 2010–2024 0.55
6 Michelle Akers 107 155 1985–2000 0.69
7 Tiffeny Milbrett 100 206 1991–2005 0.49
8 Cindy Parlow 75 158 1996–2004 0.47
9 Christen Press 64 155 2013–2021 0.41
10 Megan Rapinoe 63 203 2006–2023 0.31

Source(s)

Most Assists
Rank Player Assists Caps Years Avg
1 Mia Hamm 147 276 1987–2004 0.53
2 Kristine Lilly 106 354 1987–2010 0.30
3 Megan Rapinoe 73 203 2006–2023 0.36
Abby Wambach 255 2001–2015 0.29
5 Carli Lloyd 64 316 2005–2021 0.20
6 Tiffeny Milbrett 63 206 1991–2005 0.31
7 Heather O'Reilly 55 231 2002–2016 0.24
Julie Foudy 274 1988–2004 0.20
9 Alex Morgan 53 224 2010–2024 0.24
10 Shannon MacMillan 50 177 1993–2005 0.28

Source(s)

Most Shutouts (Goalkeeper Clean Sheets)
Rank Player Shutouts Caps Years Avg
1 Hope Solo 102 202 2000–2016 0.51
2 Briana Scurry 72 175 1994–2008 0.41
3 Alyssa Naeher 68 113 2014– 0.60
4 Nicole Barnhart 24 54 2004–2013 0.44
5 Siri Mullinix 21 45 1999–2004 0.47
6 Casey Murphy 15 20 2021– 0.75
7 Mary Harvey 13 27 1989–1996 0.48
Saskia Webber 28 1992–2000 0.46
9 Amy Allmann 10 24 1987–1991 0.42
10 Kim Maslin-Kammerdeiner 9 17 1988–1991 0.53
LaKeysia Beene 18 2000–2003 0.50
Ashlyn Harris 25 2013–2022 0.36

Source(s)

Team Captains
Years as captain Player Caps Goals Years
1985 Denise Bender 4 0 1985
1986–1987 Emily Pickering 15 2 1985–1992
1988–1991 Lori Henry 39 3 1985–1991
1991 April Heinrichs 46 35 1986–1991
1993–2000 Carla Overbeck 170 4 1988–2000
2000–2004 Julie Foudy 274 45 1988–2004
Joy Fawcett 241 27 1987–2004
2004–2008 Kristine Lilly 354 130 1987–2010
2008–2015 Christie Pearce 311 4 1997–2015
2016–2018 Becky Sauerbrunn 219 0 2008–
2016–2020 Carli Lloyd 316 134 2005–2021
2018–2020 Alex Morgan 224 123 2010–2024
Megan Rapinoe 203 63 2006–2023
2021–2023 Becky Sauerbrunn 219 0 2008–
2023–2024 Alex Morgan 224 123 2010–2024
2023– Lindsey Horan 159 36 2013–
Most Goals in a Single Match
Rank Player Goals Date Opponent Location Competition Line-up
1 Brandi Chastain 5 April 18, 1991 Mexico Mexico Port-au-Prince, Haiti World Cup Qualifying Tournament Substitute (41') (80 minute match)
Amy Rodriguez January 20, 2012 Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Vancouver, Canada 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Substitute (46')
Sydney Leroux January 22, 2012 Guatemala Guatemala Substitute (46')
Michelle Akers November 24, 1991 Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Foshan, China 1991 FIFA World Cup Starting (80 minute match)
Tiffeny Milbrett November 2, 2002 Panama Panama Seattle, United States 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup Starting
Abby Wambach October 23, 2004 Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland Houston, United States International Friendly Starting
Crystal Dunn February 15, 2016 Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Frisco, United States 2016 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Starting
Alex Morgan June 11, 2019 Thailand Thailand Reims, France 2019 FIFA World Cup Starting
Carli Lloyd September 16, 2021 Paraguay Paraguay Cleveland, United States International Friendly Starting

All-Time Best XI

In December 2013, the United States Soccer Federation chose these players as the USWNT All-Time Best XI (the best team of all time):

  • Goalkeeper: Briana Scurry
  • Defenders: Brandi Chastain, Carla Overbeck, Christie Rampone, Joy Fawcett
  • Midfielders: Kristine Lilly, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy
  • Forwards: Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan

Team Records

  • Biggest Victory: 14–0 vs. Dominican Republic, January 20, 2012
  • Biggest Defeat: 0–4 vs. Brazil, September 27, 2007

Tournament Records

For more results in minor tournaments, see History of the United States women's national soccer team.

FIFA Women's World Cup

Main article: United States at the FIFA Women's World Cup

The team has played in every World Cup since it started in 1991. They won a medal in the first eight tournaments. In 2023, they lost to Sweden in the Round of 16.

FIFA Women's World Cup Record
Host Result Pld W D* L GF GA Coach
China 1991 Champions 6 6 0 0 25 5 Anson Dorrance
Sweden 1995 Third place 6 4 1 1 15 5 Tony DiCicco
United States 1999 Champions 6 5 1 0 18 3
United States 2003 Third place 6 5 0 1 15 5 April Heinrichs
China 2007 Third place 6 4 1 1 12 7 Greg Ryan
Germany 2011 Runners-up 6 3 2 1 13 7 Pia Sundhage
Canada 2015 Champions 7 6 1 0 14 3 Jill Ellis
France 2019 Champions 7 7 0 0 26 3
AustraliaNew Zealand 2023 Round of 16 4 1 3 0 4 1 Vlatko Andonovski
Brazil 2027 To be determined
Total 9/10 53 41 8 4 142 39
*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

Olympic Games

The team has played in every Olympic tournament since 1996. They reached the gold medal game in every Olympics until 2016. In 2016, they lost in the quarterfinals to Sweden in a penalty shootout. The team won a record fifth Olympic gold medal in 2024, their first since 2012.

International Olympic Committee Olympic Games Record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Coach
United States 1996 Gold medal 5 4 1 0 9 3 Tony DiCicco
Australia 2000 Silver medal 5 3 1 1 9 5 April Heinrichs
Greece 2004 Gold medal 6 5 1 0 12 4
China 2008 Gold medal 6 5 0 1 12 5 Pia Sundhage
United Kingdom 2012 Gold medal 6 6 0 0 16 6
Brazil 2016 Quarter-finals 4 2 2 0 6 3 Jill Ellis
Japan 2020 Bronze medal 6 2 2 2 12 10 Vlatko Andonovski
France 2024 Gold medal 6 6 0 0 12 2 Emma Hayes
United States 2028 Qualified as hosts
Total 8/9 44 33 7 4 88 38
*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

CONCACAF W Championship

CONCACAF W Championship Record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Coach
Haiti 1991 Champions 5 5 0 0 49 0 Anson Dorrance
United States 1993 Champions 3 3 0 0 13 0
Canada 1994 Champions 4 4 0 0 16 1 Tony DiCicco
Canada 1998 Did not participate1
United States 2000 Champions 5 4 1 0 24 1 April Heinrichs
CanadaUnited States 2002 Champions 5 5 0 0 24 1
United States 2006 Champions 2 2 0 0 4 1 Greg Ryan
Mexico 2010 Third place 5 4 0 1 22 2 Pia Sundhage
United States 2014 Champions 5 5 0 0 21 0 Jill Ellis
United States 2018 Champions 5 5 0 0 26 0
Mexico 2022 Champions 5 5 0 0 13 0 Vlatko Andonovski
Total 10/11 44 42 1 1 212 6

1 The U.S. team qualified directly for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup because they were the hosts. So, they didn't play in the 1998 CONCACAF Championship, which was the qualifying tournament.

*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

CONCACAF W Gold Cup

CONCACAF W Gold Cup Record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Coach
United States 2024 Champions 6 4 1 1 15 4 Twila Kilgore
Total 1/1 6 4 1 1 15 4
*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shoot-out.

Minor Tournaments

SheBelieves Cup

The SheBelieves Cup is a special tournament for women's national soccer teams. It's held in the United States every year.

United States SheBelieves Cup Record
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA Coach
2016 Champions 3 3 0 0 4 1 Jill Ellis
2017 4th place 3 1 0 2 1 4
2018 Champions 3 2 1 0 3 1
2019 Runners-up 3 1 2 0 5 4
2020 Champions 3 3 0 0 6 1 Vlatko Andonovski
2021 Champions 3 3 0 0 9 0
2022 Champions 3 2 1 0 10 0
2023 Champions 3 3 0 0 5 1
2024 Champions 2 1 1 0 4 3 Twila Kilgore
2025 TBD 0 0 0 0 0 0 Emma Hayes
Total 10/10 26 19 5 2 47 15

Tournament of Nations

The Tournament of Nations was another special tournament for women's national teams. It was held in the United States in years when there wasn't a World Cup or Olympics.

United States Tournament of Nations Record
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA Coach
2017 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 7 4 Jill Ellis
2018 Champions 3 2 1 0 9 4
Total 6 4 1 1 16 8

Algarve Cup

The Algarve Cup is a global tournament for women's national teams held in Portugal. It was a very important event, sometimes called the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup." Since 2016, the SheBelieves Cup has replaced it on the U.S. team's schedule.

Portugal Algarve Cup Record
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA Coach
1994 Runners-up 3 2 0 1 6 1 Tony DiCicco
1995 4th place 4 2 1 1 8 5
1996 Did not enter
1997
1998 3rd place 4 3 0 1 10 6 Tony DiCicco
1999 Runners-up 4 2 1 1 8 4
2000 Champions 4 4 0 0 11 1 April Heinrichs
2001 6th place 4 1 0 3 5 9
2002 5th place 4 2 1 1 8 6
2003 Champions 4 2 2 0 5 2
2004 Champions 4 3 0 1 11 5
2005 Champions 4 4 0 0 9 0 Greg Ryan
2006 Runners-up 4 2 2 0 9 1
2007 Champions 4 4 0 0 8 3
2008 Champions 4 4 0 0 12 1 Pia Sundhage
2009 Runners-up 4 3 1 0 5 1
2010 Champions 4 4 0 0 9 3
2011 Champions 4 4 0 0 12 3
2012 3rd place 4 3 0 1 11 2
2013 Champions 4 3 1 0 11 1 Tom Sermanni
2014 7th place 4 1 1 2 7 7
2015 Champions 4 3 1 0 7 1 Jill Ellis
Total 79 56 11 12 172 62

Team Honors and Awards

FIFA World Ranking History

This chart shows how the U.S. team's FIFA World Ranking has changed each year.

Last updated on September 5, 2024

     Best Ranking       Worst Ranking       Best Mover       Worst Mover  

United States' FIFA World Ranking History
Year Rank at
year end		 Best Worst
Rank Move Rank Move
2024 – 1 Increase 4 5 Decrease 3
2023 2 1 Steady 3 Decrease 2
2022 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2021 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2020 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2019 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2018 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2017 1 1 Increase 1 2 Decrease 1
2016 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2015 1 1 Increase 1 2 Steady
2014 2 1 Steady 2 Decrease 1
2013 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2012 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2011 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2010 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2009 1 1 Steady 1 Steady
2008 1 1 Increase 1 1 Steady
2007 2 1 Increase 1 2 Decrease 1
2006 2 2 Steady 2 Steady
2005 2 1 Increase 1 2 Decrease 1
2004 2 2 Steady 2 Steady
2003 2 1 Steady 2 Decrease 1

More Information

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de los Estados Unidos para niños

  • Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team – A 2005 movie about the team.
  • List of United States women's national soccer team hat-tricks
  • U.S. Women's National Team Players Association
  • U.S. women's national soccer team pay discrimination claim
  • USWNT All-Time Best XI
  • National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), 2013–present
  • Soccer in the United States
  • United States men's national soccer team
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
United States women's national soccer team Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.