By OkayGoal 
The USWNT Roster has been released for the October camp, and it’s a significant one. Emma Hayes told the media that this roster would have the players that she felt were ready for the 2027 World Cup. Given the amount of experimentation Hayes has been conducting, this is a significant decision regarding who is on the team and who isn’t. Of course, there’s still time for things to change from now until then, but this is the group that likely has the best chance of going to the World Cup. Let’s take a closer look at the roster.
USWNT October Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 2), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 4), Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United, ENG; 3)
DEFENDERS (8): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 2/0), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG; 67/1), Lilly Reale (Gotham FC; 2/0), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit; 8/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 6/1), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 5/0), Emily Sonnett (Gotham FC; 110/2), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 38/4), Lindsey Heaps (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 167/38), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 6/1), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC; 113/25), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign FC; 2/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 9/2), Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC; 26/8), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes, FRA; 8/1)
FORWARDS (7): Michelle Cooper (Kansas City Current; 8/1), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC, ENG; 24/11), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 47/11), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 12/2), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville; 8/1), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 12/4), Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea FC, ENG; 22/3)
Roster Breakdown
Keepers
We start with the goalkeepers. These were the three keepers that Emma Hayes had included the most over the last few USWNT camps. The real question is who is going to be the No. 1 keeper? All three are solid options, but the player who has seen and played against more international players in more hostile environments is Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Between her experience in France, England, and the NWSL, I think she’s the best choice. And, coming off the season she had for Manchester United, she’s at the top of her game.
Defenders
As we move to the defenders, we have to take what Emma Hayes said with a grain of salt. While she said this would be most of the group that would be ready for the World Cup, Naomi Girma is not on this roster, and there’s no way Emma Hayes is leaving her off the roster, barring an injury. That’s one of the USWNT’s best players, so don’t be alarmed to not see her here. Kennedy Wesley gets her first call-up as a former top pick of the Wave and a star at Stanford. This is Wesley’s chance to really prove herself because Jenna Nighswonger has been sitting on the bench for Arsenal. If Nighswonger doesn’t play, will Hayes decide to bring her in anyway? That’s a huge situation to monitor; until then, it’s a big chance for Kennedy Wesley. Emily Sonnett and Emily Sams are likely to start with Emily Fox. Hayes has preferred Avery Patterson to Tara McKeown, but Jordyn Bugg could also be in the mix for this team. It’s a solid group of defenders that would be much better off with Tierna Davidson, but sadly, she’s out with an ACL injury.
Midfielders
Getting to the midfielders, it’s a group of veterans surrounded by a ton of young talent. The three midfielders expected to start should be Sam Coffey, Lindsey Heaps, and Rose Lavelle. It’s up to Hayes whether Coffey or Heaps will play in the No. 6 role defensively. Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, Jaedyn Shaw, and Olivia Moultrie are all incredibly young but each with a unique skillset as either attacking or defensive midfielders. Sam Meza is getting another shot as well. This could be huge for her chances to make the World Cup Roster next summer. Yohannes, Hutton, and Meza are likely to play in a deeper midfield role versus Shaw and Moultrie, who like to get forward more often. It’s a solid group of midfielders for Hayes to evaluate.
Forwards
Lastly, the group of forwards looks formidable with Trinity Rodman back in the team, Alyssa Thompson, Michelle Cooper, and Yazmeen Ryan are in great form. Emma Sears and Ally Sentnor are great alternative options to have, and we are likely to see them in one of the two Portugal friendlies or against New Zealand.
While this might not be the exact roster for 2027, you can expect at least 75%-80% of this roster to be the group we see at the World Cup in two years time. It’s a solid team, and they’re developing alongside each other and building chemistry at the right time. We’ll have a preview of their matchup against Portugal in the coming days.
Featured image via Getty Images
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