U.S. U20 Roster for 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Head coach Vicky Jepson has announced a 21-player roster for the upcoming 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The tournament is scheduled to begin on September 5 and will feature 24 national teams, with the final match taking place on September 27.

According to Jepson, the selected players bring a diverse range of qualities from both the college and professional game. ‘One thing we all have in common is the understanding that it takes everyone to win a World Cup,’ she said.

Roster Breakdown

The roster includes a mix of collegiate athletes and professional players, with eight members currently playing in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The players are distributed among six NWSL clubs: Bay FC, Chicago Stars FC, Houston Dash, Kansas City Current, Racing Louisville FC, and Seattle Reign FC.

The 2024 U20 World Cup USA team that earned a third-place finish also had eight pro players on the roster. Notable omissions from this year’s roster include San Diego Wave FC players Melanie Barcenas and Kimmie Ascanio, as well as Bay FC’s Claire Hutton.

Age Eligibility and Challenges

Players born on or after January 1, 2006 are age-eligible for the upcoming World Cup. Those born in 2008 could be selected for the next U20 World Cup in 2028. Despite the challenges of balancing club schedules with the FIFA U20 World Cup, Jepson expressed her excitement for the selected players and their potential growth experience.

The U.S. U20 roster for the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup is as follows:

• Goalkeepers (3): Caroline Birkel (Stanford; St. Louis, Mo.; 6), Evan O’Steen (Seattle Reign FC; Grapevine, Texas; 2), Kealey Titmuss (Penn State; Grand Blanc, Mich.; 5)
• Defenders (7): Aven Alvarez (UNC; New Hill, N.C.; 12/0), Ella Bard (Louisville; Wadsworth, Ohio; 6/0), Lizzie Boamah (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.; 6/0), Pearl Cecil (Virginia; Encinitas, Calif.; 2/0), Emma Johnson (Penn State; Greenfield, Ind.; 9/1), Hope Munson (UNC; Holladay, Utah; 6/0), Katie Scott (Kansas City Current; Fairview, Pa.; 11/1)
• Midfielders (6): Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC; Southlake, Texas; 8/2), Lily Joseph (Notre Dame; Hamden, Conn.; 2/0), Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign FC; Bedford, Texas; 6/0), Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford; Fairfax, Va.; 5/0), Nyanya Touray (Florida State; Silver Spring, Md.; 4/0), Linda Ullmark (Houston Dash; Buffalo, N.Y.; 7/6)
• Forwards (5): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign FC; Red Oak, Texas; 4/1), Alex Buck (Washington; Medina, Wash.; 6/1), Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC; Troy, Mich; 4/2), Audrey McKeen (Racing Louisville FC; Vienna, Va.; 2/0), Sealey Strawn (UNC; Prosper, Texas; 2/0)

Jepson expressed her gratitude to the NWSL clubs and colleges for their collaboration in releasing their players for the tournament, acknowledging that this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of them.

As the tournament approaches, fans and supporters can look forward to witnessing the talents of these young women on the world’s biggest stage for their age group.