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Just over 10 months remain before the 2027 Women's World Cup kicks off in Brazil on June 24 next summer.
While the U.S. women's national team has not yet secured their spot in the tournament, they are strong favorites to defeat El Salvador in their critical single-elimination qualifying clash this November. A victory there would send the four-time World Cup champions to the tournament.
Since the USWNT claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, manager Emma Hayes has been intensely focused on shaping the roster for '27, conducting extensive experimentation throughout 2025 and narrowing her options heading into '26.
Now, with under a year remaining and after two years of studying Hayes's selections, it has become clearer who fits into her plans and who is on the outside looking in. Here's a breakdown of who is a lock, likely, or on the bubble for the 2027 Women's World Cup roster.
Locks
Goalkeepers (2): Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United), Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign)
Defenders (4): Naomi Girma (Chelsea), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC)
Midfielders (5): Sam Coffey (Manchester City), Lindsey Heaps (Denver Summit), Claire Hutton (Bay FC), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes)
Forwards (4): Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea), Sophia Wilson (Portland Thorns), Catarina Macario (San Diego Wave)
These 15 players are virtually guaranteed a place at next year's World Cup with the USWNT. The only factor that could remove them from this list is availability — which, in cases like Catarina Macario, is not entirely out of the question. But if everyone here is fit and ready, they are heading to Brazil.
This group includes the USWNT's most seasoned players: Lindsey Heaps (178 caps), Rose Lavelle (122 caps), and Tierna Davidson (70 caps). All three were part of the U.S. squad that lifted the 2019 World Cup trophy in France and have featured in every tournament since.
Emily Fox (78 caps), Sophia Wilson (63 caps), Trinity Rodman (57 caps), Naomi Girma (54 caps), and Sam Coffey (46 caps) represent the next tier of essential experience — consistent starters under Hayes who all appeared at the 2023 World Cup and claimed Olympic gold in '24.
Lily Yohannes (20 caps), Claire Hutton (20 caps), and Gisele Thompson (11 caps) are the youngest and least experienced in the "lock" category. Yet all three have climbed the ranks over the past 18 months, evolving from promising prospects into potential starters.
Likely
Goalkeepers (1): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash)
Defenders (4): Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash), Emily Sams (Angel City)
Midfielders (3): Croix Bethune (KC Current), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC), Riley Jackson (NC Courage)
Forwards (3): Mallory Swanson (Chicago Stars), Pietra Tordin (Portland Thorns), Michelle Cooper (KC Current)
With 2027 Women's World Cup rosters expanding to 26 players, that opens up 11 spots in the "likely" category. These are the players who, if the World Cup were held tomorrow, would most probably be selected to round out the remaining roster positions.
With Hayes having firmly locked in only two goalkeepers, the third spot remains wide open. Jane Campbell appears to be the frontrunner given her experience and strong current form. The 31-year-old currently sits second in the NWSL for goals prevented with 9.4.
Defensive depth is a pressing need on this roster, and the versatility of Avery Patterson and Emily Sams could work in their favor. Patterson can operate at left or right back, or even as a winger, while Sams is a center back equally comfortable on the flanks.
With no senior national team caps to her name, Pietra Tordin might seem like a long shot. It's unclear whether she currently features in Hayes's plans, but the 22-year-old Portland Thorns forward is in sensational NWSL form, leading the league in goal contributions with 16 (seven goals, nine assists). Based on recent performances alone, Tordin looks like a strong candidate to break through.
A CHIP. A HAT TRICK. A GOALKEEPER ASSIST. THIS GOAL HAS EVERYTHING.
Pietra Tordin completes the first-half hat trick ‼️ pic.twitter.com/2sRZHMQn6B
On the bubble
Goalkeepers (2): Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals), Jordan Silkowitz (Bay FC)
Defenders (4): Lilly Reale (Gotham FC), Izzy Rodriguez (KC Current), Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign), Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit)
Midfielders (3): Sam Meza (Seattle Reign), Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC), Ashley Sanchez (NC Courage)
Forwards (6): Ally Sentnor (Angel City), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars), Reilyn Turner (Portland Thorns), Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign), Yazmeen Ryan (Denver Summit)
This group is not currently booked on the flight to Brazil, but will be fighting to earn their place on the roster come next June. The notable names here — players who have featured in recent USWNT squads but may be losing ground — include Ally Sentnor, Mandy McGlynn, and Lilly Reale.
Sentnor had been a Hayes favorite since 2025, but her form and confidence have dropped sharply in 2026. She received just 12 minutes across two substitute appearances in the U.S.'s most recent friendlies against Brazil and has scored only once in her last 18 NWSL matches.
Around a year ago, McGlynn was competing for the No. 1 goalkeeper position behind Tullis-Joyce. However, Claudia Dickey's emergence, coupled with an injury early in the year, has recalibrated expectations for McGlynn's role with the USWNT. The 27-year-old hasn't been ruled out, but her standing has slipped from its previous high.
Reale has a solid chance of earning a World Cup roster spot, but a mid-season transfer from Gotham FC to Boston Legacy has somewhat disrupted her current form. The 23-year-old has moved from a top NWSL side to a lower mid-table club. Legacy manager Filipa Patão has also deployed her team with wing backs, presenting a new tactical challenge for Reale. That said, Reale's attacking instincts could see her fill in as an emergency center back. Her raw ability outweighs her current form, and her World Cup hopes remain very much alive.
Injury doubts
Defenders (3): Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC), Trinity Armstrong (San Diego Wave), Alana Cook (KC Current)
Midfielders (1): Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns)
Lastly, this group consists of players currently sidelined with serious long-term injuries. Trinity Armstrong, Alana Cook, and Olivia Moultrie have all suffered ACL tears (Cook in 2025; the other two in '26).
Emily Sonnett, who would otherwise have been a lock and a key senior presence in Hayes's setup, ruptured her patellar tendon in July 2026. That kind of injury typically requires six months to a year of recovery with no guarantee of being physically ready for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
None of these players can be written off just yet, but whether they can return to full fitness within the next 10 months remains to be seen.
Theo Lloyd-Hughes is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer based in the Southern United States. Originally from England, he is frequently found in press boxes across the NWSL or at international fixtures involving the USWNT and other Concacaf nations.