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The April FIFA international window is set to bring a distinctive challenge for the U.S. women's national team. This month, the four-time World Cup champions will take on Japan three times in an unusual triple-header friendly series.
On Tuesday, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes announced a 26-player squad for the upcoming window.
"Japan is without question one of the elite teams in the world, and they are operating at an extremely high level coming off their [2026] Asian Cup triumph, which was impressive to witness," Hayes said.
"Facing the same nation three consecutive times, and particularly a side as committed
to their identity as Japan, will be an enormous test for our group and I'm eager to see how our players handle the many challenges these fixtures will bring."
The USWNT will kick off the three-game series against Japan at PayPal Park in San Jose on April 11, before traveling to Lumen Field in Seattle on April 14, and wrapping up the window at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on April 17.
USWNT Roster: April 2026 matches vs. Japan
Position (Club; Caps/Goals)
Goalkeepers (3)
Defenders (9)
Midfielders (7)
Forwards (7)
Sophia Wilson and Tierna Davidson return
Hayes has recalled star forward Sophia Wilson and defensive stalwart Tierna Davidson for the Japan friendlies. The pair rank among the most seasoned players on the U.S. roster and claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both were largely absent throughout 2025.
Wilson, a member of the "Triple Espresso" attacking unit alongside Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, is making her first USWNT squad appearance in 15 months, following her pregnancy and the arrival of her daughter in September 2025. Wilson's most recent outing for the USWNT came in October 2024.
The Portland Thorns forward has been showing encouraging signs since returning to action in March 2026. She has featured in every Thorns match this season and earned her first start in a victory over the KC Current last weekend.
Davidson has been away from the USWNT for 13 months after suffering an ACL injury while playing for her club, NJ/NY Gotham FC. Notably, her last international appearance came in a 2–1 loss to Japan at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup.
The 27-year-old center back has yet to start a match for Gotham since recovering from her ACL injury. In three substitute appearances in 2026, she has logged 29, 26, and 16 minutes respectively.
"As our team continues to grow, it will be wonderful to welcome back Sophia and Tierna, who are not only exceptional players but also bring a positive influence to our team culture," said Hayes.
Sophia Wilson's first NWSL season as a mom has officially begun 🫶 pic.twitter.com/zmkchJkwWG
Michelle Cooper and Jane Campbell also return
KC Current winger Michelle Cooper's time away has been considerably shorter than Wilson's or Davidson's, but she is another highly regarded player who has missed the last few camps due to a foot injury picked up at the end of 2025.
Cooper hasn't quite recaptured her top form and has seen limited playing time with Kansas City to open 2026. While she has appeared in every Current match this year, she has accumulated just 186 minutes and one start, with no goal contributions as the Current sit at 1-3-0.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jane Campbell returns to the USWNT for the first time in nearly a year, stepping in due to an injury to Mandy McGlynn. The Houston Dash shot-stopper is technically the most capped goalkeeper in the group with 10 appearances, though she hasn't featured for the USWNT since the 2–1 defeat to Japan last February.
The 31-year-old Dash keeper has made a strong start to the season, recording two clean sheets and conceding just two goals across three matches. Her nine-save display in a 1–0 opening-day win over the San Diego Wave was a standout performance that helped put her back on the USWNT radar.
No room for Croix Bethune
As anticipated in this week's Stock Up, Stock Down column, it has been a difficult few weeks for midfielder Croix Bethune. She is another player who has endured a slow start to 2026 in Kansas City. Unlike Cooper, she is a recent arrival at the Current and must adapt to a new city, a new system, and a new locker room simultaneously.
At her peak, Bethune is a creative force. She excels at finding space between the lines, retaining possession, and threading ambitious passes for teammates to run onto. The 25-year-old has yet to recapture that form since scoring on debut in the Current's only win of the season — a 2–1 victory over the Utah Royals.
For this squad, Hayes has chosen to reduce the midfield group from eight to seven players. Bethune was also absent from the previous USWNT roster, though Hayes attributed that omission to fitness concerns.
Jaedyn Shaw's hamstring is healing
Gotham FC midfielder Jaedyn Shaw has sat out three straight NWSL matches with a hamstring problem. However, her inclusion in this USWNT squad suggests she is progressing well toward a return.
Whether Shaw will be fit for Gotham's upcoming away fixture against Kansas City this weekend remains uncertain. But her selection can be taken as a positive indicator that the injury is not serious, and that her comeback to the pitch appears to be approaching.
Experimentation to expertise
This marks the second straight roster in which Hayes has not called up a single uncapped player. The SheBelieves Cup and April friendlies squads are the only two since Hayes assumed the role in June 2024 where that has been the case.
The shift from experimentation to proven quality is deliberate. With the 2027 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for November and the tournament just 14 months away, the phase of trialing the next generation has given way to the necessity of selecting the best available talent.
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Theo Lloyd-Hughes is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer based in the Southern United States. Originally from England, he can often be found in a press box across the NWSL or at international matches featuring the USWNT and other Concacaf nations.