ATLANTA (Aug. 12, 2025) – U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team head coach Tricia Taliaferro has named a 10-player roster for the team’s upcoming 2025 IFCPF Women’s Intercontinental Cup, set to take place August 15-23, 2025, at Loughborough University in England.
The CP WNT's participation in this tournament reflects U.S. Soccer’s ongoing commitment to the U.S. Way, by investing in resources, infrastructure, and comprehensive support for our Extended National Teams to ensure they are fully prepared to compete and succeed on the world stage.
“I applaud U.S. Soccer, our players, coaches, and everyone who has contributed to the growth of the Women’s CP National Team over the years,” Taliaferro said.“The continued investment in the Extended National Teams department and the women’s game has been incredible. We are ready to step on the field at the Intercontinental Cup and deliver a performance we can be proud of. This tournament marks another important step toward our goal of returning to the top of the podium at the next World Cup. It is also an excellent opportunity for our new players to gain valuable international experience. We are excited for the challenge and the chance to continue our development on the world stage.”
As part of Group Stage play, the CP WNT will face Nepal, Denmark, Netherlands, and Australia, who they last competed against in the 2024 IFCPF Women’s World Cup Final.
Group Stage Schedule - All matches will be streamed via IFCPF YouTube channel
- Aug. 19 vs. Nepal at 12:30 p.m. ET
- Aug. 20 vs. Denmark at 12:30 p.m. ET
- Aug. 21 vs. Netherlands at 10 a.m. ET
- Aug. 22 vs. Australia at 10 a.m. ET
- Aug. 23 vs. TBD (Placement Match)
The CP WNT’s opening match against Nepal will be the first-ever meeting between a U.S. Soccer National Team and Nepal at any level. The team's final group stage match versus Australia will serve as the latest chapter in a growing rivalry, following the CP WNT’s historic 4-2 extra team victory in the 2022 World Cup Final and Australia's 6-2 win in the 2024 final. The 2025 IFCPF Women’s Intercontinental Cup is the CP WNT’s first major tournament of the new World Cup cycle.
The roster includes nine players who took part in the team’s June training camp in Fayetteville, GA, including 2024 Female Cerebral Palsy Player of the Year and all-time leading goal scorer Cassidy Leake (Murietta, Calif.). Meanwhile, two-time World Cup veteran Leah Glaser (Montclair, N.J) returns after missing out on the team’s June training camp.
U.S. WOMEN’S CP NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER (Hometown; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Gabriella Scotto (Marlboro, N.J.; 0/0), Echo Yale (Framingham, Mass.; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (4): Michelle Cross (Mission Viejo, Calif. 12/7), Cassidy Leake (Murrietta, Calif.; 9/14), Joey Martin (Smyrna, Ga.; 7/8), Annie Wickett (Frederick, Md.; 11/10)
MIDFIELDERS (2): Janie Richardson (Flagstaff, Ariz.; 0/0), Kaia Spencer (Maple Valley, Wash.; 7/11)
FORWARDS (2): Leah Glaser (Montclair, N.J.; 11/6), Jesslyn Kuhnel (Panama City, Fla.; 10/10)
About the U.S. Women’s CP National Team
The U.S. Women’s CP National Team is for eligible qualifying players with Cerebral Palsy, stroke or traumatic brain injury. If you or someone you know qualifies for the Men’s CP National Team and plays at a high level, you can contact us via email at ExtendedNT@ussoccer.org for more information on potential playing opportunities.
About the U.S. Way
The U.S. Way is a shared philosophy, a strategy and a practical toolkit to enable excellence at every level of the game and for us to win. The U.S. Way is intended to work in partnership between the club and National Team environment to cultivate the next generation of talent with three areas of focus: World Class Development Pathways and Environments, including scaled Talent Identification, expanded Youth National Team programming and accelerated development and foundation building across the Extended National Teams; Shared and Scaled Infrastructure, highlighted by the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, U.S. Way digital platform and unified youth calendar;and Professional Development for the Entire Ecosystem, featuring formal courses, technical and administrative staff community building, leadership development, and best practice resource sharing. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision/us-way.
