USWNT Coach Emma Hayes Announces Lineup Changes Ahead of Chile Friendly

omidbasir- Emma Hayes, head coach of the United States women’s national team, announced that there will be substantial lineup alterations for the friendly match against Chile on Tuesday. This decision comes after a resounding 6-0 victory against Paraguay last Saturday.

“There will be changes to the team, as I mentioned at the beginning. I am assembling an entirely new lineup, which will present a different set of challenges, ranging from debut caps to collective inexperience,” Hayes stated during a press conference preceding the friendly at Harder Stadium in Santa Barbara.

“One approach I have nearly finalized is to ensure that no player starts in consecutive games, considering the current status of the players within their NWSL clubs,” she added.

Following the recent triumph, the USWNT is now focused on securing a sixth consecutive victory as they prepare for upcoming competitions, including the SheBelieves Cup in March and qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup. Hayes emphasized that January’s training camp will serve as a critical evaluation period for several new and young call-ups.

“This window is about identifying which players will be essential to our core group. We need to determine which athletes will contribute significantly to the roster for 2028 and which will be part of the vision for 2031. It’s a multi-faceted approach, but that is the essence of development,” Hayes remarked.

“I have a strong understanding of the player pool. I am aware of the group we will be building around in preparation for World Cup qualification,” she concluded.

According to U.S. Soccer, this friendly will mark the USWNT’s first full international match at Harder Stadium. Following the January window, Hayes will prepare the team for matches this spring against Argentina, Canada, and Colombia at the SheBelieves Cup.