U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Emma Hayes will exclude European-based players from the upcoming squad selection, as per reports from ESPN.
Speaking to ESPN ahead of the nation’s June training camp, Hayes has expressed her desire to call up a fresh roster comprised of domestic-based players to the senior team.
The head coach’s decision to omit those playing in Europe is based on the reasoning of providing those individuals with adequate time for rest and recovery. Hayes said, “This is the first opportunity, and the only one, for them to take a break between now and the World Cup in two years”.
The nation will return to action next year in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers, following a full calendar year without a competitive fixture throughout 2025.
European-based stars need time to recover, says Hayes
Arsenal’s Emily Fox, who recently played a vital role in the club’s incredible Champions League feat, recently played a grand total of 1,742 minutes in the side’s Women’s Super League campaign. This followed a full season with North Carolina Courage in 2-23, before a fast January move to north London, where she immediatley stepped into the starting eleven during the early months of 2024. Fox then travelled to the Paris Olympics, starting every game in the USA’s gold medal campaign.
Lyon’s Lindsey Heaps is also a part of the European-based players receiving a well deserved rest, playing over 1,000 league minutes for her side during the 2024/25 season. These momentous sums of minutes do not include cup competitions, including the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Chelsea’s Catarina Macario will also receive a period of rest, as well as Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Ajax’s Lily Yohannes.
Naomi Girma is set to be the only European-based USWNT player to be called up for the training camp, something Hayes emphasised was because of her limited playing minutes at Chelsea following a calf injury.
The head coach told ESPN that the decision was arrived upon after conversations with the nation’s medical and performance teams.
