With the matchups now set, play kicks off on March 2 at BMO Stadium, home of Angel City FC in NWSL and LAFC of MLS, with Canada taking on Costa Rica (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT) and Brazil squaring off against South American rivals Argentina (10:15 p.m. ET / 8:15 p.m. PT). The quarterfinals resume on Sunday, March 3, with Mexico facing Paraguay (5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT) before the USA takes on Colombia (8:15 p.m. ET).
The winners of the single-elimination quarterfinal matches will advance to the semifinals at Snapdragon Stadium on March 6 and the winners of those games will play for the title on March 10, also at Snapdragon Stadium, home to San Diego Wave FC of the NWSL.
NAEHER NEARS 100 CAPS
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher recorded her 60th career clean sheet in the USA’s Feb. 20 win over the Dominican Republic and earned her 99th cap in the Feb. 26 match against Mexico. She is now just one caps away from becoming the third goalkeeper and 42nd player overall in U.S. Women’s National Team history to reach the 100 cap milestone. Naeher is, and has been for a while, the goalkeeper with the third-most caps (99), wins (80) and shutouts (60) in U.S. history, trailing only Hall-of-Famers Briana Scurry and Hope Solo. When Naeher hits 100 caps, the U.S. will become the first country in history to have three female goalkeepers with 100+ caps.
A two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, Naeher debuted for the USWNT in December of 2014 and became a consistent starter following the 2016 Olympics. She matched her calendar-year high with nine shutouts for the USWNT in 2023, three of which came at the World Cup as the U.S. allowed just one goal the entire tournament. She was a finalist for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper 2023 and has recorded a clean sheet in five of her last six appearances for the U.S.
FAMILIAR FOES
The U.S. and Colombia played quite recently, squaring off in late October of 2023 in friendlies in Utah and San Diego. The teams opened the two-game slate with a scoreless draw on Oct. 26 at America First Field in Sandy and then traveled to San Diego, facing off at Snapdragon Stadium – which hosted all of Group B this tournament and will be the host site for the Concacaf W Gold Cup Semifinals and Final – this time resulting in a 3-0 win for the USA.
After a scoreless first-half, the U.S. found the back of the net three times in the second, with goals from Mia Fishel, Lindsey Horan and Jaedyn Shaw. Horan scored on a world-class volley in the 62nd minute off a cross from Emily Fox while Fishel – a San Diego native – and Shaw – who plays for San Diego Wave FC – both netted the first goals of their international careers.
INSIDE THE SERIES: USA vs. COLOMBIA
Sunday’s quarterfinal will be the 13th meeting all-time between the USA and Colombia and the fifth in a competitive match. The U.S. holds a 10W-2D-0L advantage overall in the series, the last six meetings of which have all been friendlies.
Four of the previous 12 meetings between the nations have come at world championship events – playing twice at the World Cup and twice at the Olympics. The sides met for the first time at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a 3-0 win for the Americans in the second match of Group C play. The teams squared off one year later at the 2012 Summer Olympics, again meeting in the group stage and again resulting in a 3-0 win for the USA. In 2015, they squared off in World Cup Round of 16 in Edmonton, Canada. The USA won 2-0 behind second-half goals from Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd. The most recent meeting between the teams in a competitive match came during the group stage of the 2016 Summer Olympics, a 2-2 tie against Las Cafeteras on Aug. 9, 2016. Crystal Dunn and Mallory Swanson scored for the U.S. in that match.
The USWNT enters Sunday’s quarterfinal unbeaten in its last 26 matches against CONMEBOL competition and has won 17 of its last 18 games against South American opponents, with wins over Brazil (5), Colombia (5), Chile (3), Paraguay (2) and Argentina (2) during that span.
PATHWAY TO PARIS
With less than five months until the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the USWNT is deep in preparation for its pursuit of a fifth Olympic gold medal. The Olympic Football Tournament features 12 teams and will be contested in seven different venues across France from July 25 to August 10: Parc des Princes in Paris, Stade de Lyon, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, Stade de Marseille, Stade de Nice, Stade de Bordeaux and Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
All but two of the teams in the Olympic field have now been determined, with only the representatives from Africa yet to be determined. The 2024 CAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament will conclude in early April to produce two qualifiers from Africa as Morocco takes on Zambia and South Africa faces Nigeria.
The remaining ten teams are hosts France, South American qualifiers Brazil and Colombia, New Zealand from Oceania, Spain and Germany, which defeated the Netherlands in the UEFA Women’s Nations League Third-Place match, from UEFA and from Concacaf, the USA and Canada, which secured Concacaf’s second berth to the Olympics berth by beating Jamaica in a two-game playoff during the September international window.
The USA qualified for Paris by virtue of winning the 2022 Concacaf W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico, which served as the region’s qualification for the Olympics as well as the 2023 World Cup.
The Final Draw to set the tournament schedule and groups will be held on March 20 at 2 p.m. ET and will be streamed on FIFA.com.
SHEBELIEVES CUP ON THE HORIZON
Following the completion of the Concacaf W Gold Cup, the U.S. will turn its attention to the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, presented by Visa. The USA will host Brazil, Canada and Japan in the ninth edition of the four-team tournament, which is comprised of one-third of the field for the Paris Olympics. All four participants are ranked in the top 11 in the world, have qualified for the Olympics and competed in last year’s tournament, where the U.S. took first, followed by Japan in second, Brazil in third and Canada in fourth. In the Semifinals on April 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the USA (#2) will face Japan (#8) at 12:30 p.m. ET (TNT, Telemundo, Max & Peacock) and Brazil (#11) will take on Canada (#10) at 3:30 p.m. ET (Universo, Max & Peacock).
The four nations will then travel to Columbus, Ohio with Lower.com Field hosting the final two games of the tournament at 4 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. ET on April 9 as the Semifinal winners play in the Championship and the losers play in the Third-Place Match. The USA will play in the 7 p.m. ET time slot (TBS, Universo, Max & Peacock) whether it is playing in Championship or Third-Place Match, and the other game will be at 4 p.m. ET (TBS, Universo, Max & Peacock).
Tickets are available for purchase now at ussoccer.com/tickets.
HAYES TO THE HELM IN MAY
After a worldwide search process led U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, Emma Hayes was officially announced as the 10th head coach in U.S. Women’s National Team history on November 14, 2023. The long-time head coach for English powerhouse Chelsea FC, Hayes started her coaching career in the United States in the early 2000s and more than two decades later will take the helm of the USWNT. Due to her contact with Chelsea, Hayes will finish the 2023-24 Women’s Super League season in England and then join the U.S. team officially two months prior to the start of the Olympics. U.S. Soccer has put a comprehensive plan and process in place to maximize the productivity in all aspects of moving the USWNT forward leading into the Olympics, a key part of which is interim head coach Twila Kilgore continuing in her role and then joining Hayes’ staff full-time as an assistant coach in late May.
USA TEAM & ROSTER NOTES
- The USWNT has played more matches in California (56) than any other state in the country and has won 51 of its 56 matches all-time in the Golden State.
- The has played once previously at BMO Stadium, a 6-0 win over Belgium on April 7, 2019.
- Becky Sauerbrunn (219), Alex Morgan (218), Crystal Dunn (142 caps) and Lindsey Horan (141 caps) are the only players on this roster with 100+ international appearances. Alyssa Naeher will join the 100-cap club with her next appearance for the USA.
- Five players on this roster have fewer than 10 caps, four of whom debuted in 2023: 23-year-old Jenna Nighswonger (4 caps), 20-year-old midfielder Korbin Albert (3 caps), 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw (6 caps) and 18-year-old Olivia Moultrie (3 caps).
- Seven players on this roster – Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Nighswonger, Trinity Rodman, Albert, Shaw and Moultrie – were born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer. Smith became the first player born after the ’99 World Cup to earn a USWNT cap when she debuted for the U.S. on November 27, 2020, against the Netherlands.
- Morgan is the top scorer on this roster with 123 career international goals, followed by Horan with 32 goals, Lavelle and Dunn with 24 each, Williams with 18 and Smith with 15.
- Six different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by two goals each from Morgan, Moultrie and Shaw and one each from Horan, Nighswonger and Williams.
- Midge Purce leads the U.S. with two assists in 2024 while Smith, Horan, Rose Lavelle and Casey Krueger all have one assist.
- Twelve players called up for this camp were on the USA’s roster at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and nine – Dahlkemper, Davidson, Dunn, Horan, Lavelle, Morgan, Naeher, Sauerbrunn and Sonnett – were on the roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions.
- Eight of the 14 NWSL clubs are represented on this roster, led by seven players from NJ/NY Gotham FC. Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC have four players each.
- Three players on this roster play for clubs in Europe – two in France (Lindsey Horan at Olympique Lyon and Korbin Albert at Paris Saint-Germain) and one in England (Emily Fox at Arsenal FC).
FIFA World Ranking: 23
Concacaf Ranking: 2
Olympic Appearances: 2 (2012, 2016)
Best Olympic Result: Group Stage (2012, 2016)
Record vs. USA: 0W-2D-10L (GF:2, GA: 38)
Last Meeting vs. USA: Oct. 29, 2023 (3-0 win for USA in San Diego, Calif.)
Head Coach: Angelo Marsiglia (COL)
COLOMBIA WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Natalia Giraldo (America De Cali), 12-Sandra Sepulveda (Llaneros FC), 22-Stefany Castaño (Clube Atlético Mineiro, BRA)
DEFENDERS (5): 2-Manuela Vanegas (Real Sociedad, ESP), 3-Daniela Arias (SC Corinthians, BRA), 14-Angela Baron (Atlético Nacional), 17-Carolina Arias (Unattached), 19-Jorelyn Carabali (Brighton & Hove Albion, ENG)
MIDFIELDERS (11): 4-Angie Yanten (America De Cali), 5-Lorena Bedoya (Real Brasilia, BRA), 6-Daniela Montoya (Atlético Nacional), 7-Maria Camila Reyes (Unattached), 8-Marcela Restrepo (Atlético Nacional), 9-Ivonne Chacon (Valencia Feminas CF, ESP), 10-Diana Celis (Millonarios FC), 13-Iilana Izquierdo (Deportivo Cali), 16-Lady Andrade (Real Brasil CF, BRA), 20-Monica Ramos (Grêmio FBPA, BRA), 21-Liana Salazar (Millonarios FC)
FORWARDS (4): 11-Catalina Usme (Pachuca, MEX), 15-Manuela Pavi (Deportivo Cali), 18-Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid CF, ESP), 23-Elexa Bahr (Unattached)
COLOMBIA TEAM NOTES
- After finishing second in Group B, Colombia enters the Quarterfinal as the fifth-overall seed. Colombia opened the tournament with a decisive 6-0 victory over Panama. Powered by a first-half brace from forward Manuela Pavi, Las Cafeteras jumped out to a three-goal lead at the half and added three more in the second stanza, highlighted by an impressive display of skill and a score from teenage standout Linda Caicedo.
- Facing South American foes Brazil in the second group stage match, Colombia conceded an early goal – its only allowed during the group stage – and fell 1-0 to move into second place in Group B.
- Colombia rebounded on the final match day of play, topping Puerto Rico 2-0 to secure a spot in the knockout rounds. Caicedo and team captain Catalina Usme both scored in the victory as Colombia held an 8-1 advantage in shots on target.
- Fifteen of the 23 players on the USA’s W Gold Cup roster participated in the October 2023 friendlies against Colombia and seventeen of the 23 players on Colombia’s roster for the Concacaf W Gold Cup were on the October 2023 roster for the friendlies against the USA, including Caicedo, who at just 19-years old was one of three finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Player Award 2023 and finished second in the voting to Spain’s Aitana Bonmati.
- Like the USA, Colombia qualified for the 2024 Olympics back in July of 2022 and for Las Cafeteras, it came at the Copa America Feminina, which Colombia hosted.
- At that tournament, which resulted in three teams qualifying directly to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, three more to the three more to the 2023 Pan American Games tournament in Santiago, which is going on now, and the top two finishers to the 2024 Olympics, Colombia won Group A by sweeping all four matches.
- In a huge win, Colombia defeated Argentina, 1-0, in the semifinal, and even though it fell 1-0 to perennial South American power Brazil in the championship game, the Olympic berth was secured. More than 15,000 fans attended Colombia’s semifinal and 28,000 attending the title game.
- At the Copa America, Colombia spread the goals around as Daniela Arias, Caicedo, Daniella Montoya, Mayra Ramirez and Manuela Vanegas all scored twice in the tournament.
- Caicedo, who was just 17 at the time, and who scored a wonder goal in the 2023 Women’s World Cup against Germany, won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player.
- At the 2023 World Cup, Colombia made history and delighted fans around the world as they won a group that included Germany, Morocco and South Korea. Not only did Colombia win the group by virtue of a 2-1 win over Germany and a 2-0 win over South Korea (and despite a 1-0 loss to Morocco), Colombia also won a knockout game, downing Jamaica, 1-0, and gave eventual finalist England all it could handle before falling 2-1 in the quarterfinal.
- Colombia put in a fine performance at the 2015 FIFA World Cup, drawing 1-1 with Mexico, defeating world power France 2-0, and then falling to eventual Third-Place finisher England by a 2-1 score to complete group play. The four points were enough to earn Colombia a Round of 16 match with the USA and Las Cafeteras put up quite a fight against the eventual world champions before bowing out, 2-0.
- Colombia made its debut at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament at London 2012 when it was drawn in a fiercely tough Group G against holders and eventual champions USA, France (who finished fourth) and Korea DPR. And though conceding just six times in three games, despite being up against some of the sport’s most prolific attackers, Colombia did not score, losing to North Korea (2-0), the USA (3-0) and France (1-0).
- Colombia also played in both the 2022 Under-17 Women’s World Cup in India and the 2022 Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, so a young generation of players is getting quality international experience.
- Caicedo represented Colombia at the 2022 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in India, helping Colombia reach the final where it fell to Spain 1-0 on a late own goal. Despite the heartbreaking finish, it marked Colombia’s best-ever finish at a Youth Women’s World Cup and served as a coming out party for Caicedo, who won the Silver Ball as the second-best player overall in the tournament as well as the Bronze Boot, finishing the tournament with four goals. She was also a part of Colombia’s roster for the U-20 World Cup earlier that summer in Costa Rica, where Colombia won its group before falling to South American rivals Brazil 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
