ATLANTA (May 29, 2026) – U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team head coach Vicky Jepson has called up 20 players for a training camp and matches that will run from June 1-9 in southern Spain.
The USA heads to Spain on the heels of learning its group for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The USA will open the tournament on Sunday, Sept. 6 against Italy (Noon ET / 6 p.m. local), then faces 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finalists Japan on Wednesday, Sept. 9 (9 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. local) and finishes the group stage vs. New Zealand on Saturday, Sept. 12 (9 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. local). The U.S. will play its first and second group games at Stadion Miejski LKS Lodz in Lodz and its final group game at Arena Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec.
In Spain, the USA will play France twice, on June 5 and June 8. France, a country that has produced a steady stream of talented female players, will also be participating in the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and will head Group C, which also features Korea Republic, Ecuador and Ghana.
The U.S. roster features 10 college players and 10 professional players, all from the National Women’s Soccer League. Most of the NWSL players have been seeing quality minutes with their clubs this season.
Ten players on the roster have played in a FIFA World Cup for the USA, either at the U-17 or U-20 level.
U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Training Camp Roster by Position (College/Club; Hometown)
International Training Camp and Matches – Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Goalkeepers (2): Caroline Birkel (Stanford; St. Louis, Mo.), Evan O'Steen (Seattle Reign FC; Grapevine, Texas)
Defenders (7): Aven Alvarez (UNC; New Hill, N.C.), Ella Bard (Louisville; Wadsworth, Ohio), Lizzie Boamah (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.), Kiara Gilmore (Wisconsin; Allen, Texas), Emma Johnson (Penn State; Greenfield, Ind.), Hope Munson (UNC; Holladay, Utah), Katie Scott (Kansas City Current; Fairview, Pa.)
Midfielders (5): Kennedy Fuller (Angel City FC; Southlake, Texas), Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign FC; Bedford, Texas), Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford; Fairfax, Va.), Nyanya Touray (Florida State; Silver Spring, Md.), Linda Ullmark (Houston Dash; Buffalo, N.Y.)
Forwards (6): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign FC; Red Oak, Texas), Kimmi Ascanio (San Diego Wave FC; Doral, Fla.), Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Wave FC; San Diego, Calif.), Alex Buck (Washington; Medina, Wash.), Onyeka Gamero (Bay FC; Cerritos, Calif.), Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC; Troy, Mich.)
Additional Notes:
- Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, are eligible for the 2026 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
- The average age of this roster is 18.8.
- This roster is made up of eight players born in 2006 and eight born in 2007. Four players -- midfielders Nyanya Touray (Florida State) and Kimmi Ascanio (San Diego Wave), goalkeeper Evan O’Steen (Seattle Reign FC) and forward Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC) -- were born in 2008.
- Despite being the youngest player in camp, Ascanio is one of the most experienced players on the roster as she is in her third season in the NWSL for the San Diego Wave. She played in the 2022 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship, the 2024 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship and the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. She was age-eligible for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup but was not available for selection.
- Ascanio has one goal and three assists for the Wave this season.
- Seven of the 10 NWSL players – O’Steen, defender Katie Scott (Kansas City Current), midfielders Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Wave FC), Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign FC) and Kennedy Fuller (Angel City FC), and forwards Ascanio and Johnson – played in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on the team that finished third in the world. Stanford midfielder Y-Lan Nguyen and Wisconsin defender Kiara Gilmore also played in the tournament.
- Ascanio, McCammon and Johnson each scored once at the 2024 FIFA U-17 WWC, while Barcenas had three goals and Fuller led the team with four and won the Silver Boot as the second-leading scorer in the tournament.
- This is the third National Team camp for Bay FC winger Onyeka Gamero since she recovered from ACL surgery. Gamero, who was one of the top players on the USA’s 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Team in India, signed with Barcelona “B” in the summer of 2023, but her comeback from an ACL injury suffered that November kept her out of action until this season, which has seen her play in three games for Bay FC.
- Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign FC) also played in the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
- Goalkeeper Caroline Birkel (Stanford) and Adames were on the USA’s 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Team that took third in the world. Adames started all seven matches while Birkel was one of the backup‘keepers.
- Of the NWSL players on the roster, only Houston Dash midfielder Linda Ullmark (19), Gamero (20) and O’Steen (18) are in their rookie years. McCammon (18), Johnson (18) and Scott (18) are in their second professional seasons. Fuller (19), Adames (20) and Ascanio (18) are in their third pro seasons. Barcenas (18), who has two goals for the Wave this season, is in her fourth season.
- Touray and Johnson played in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Touray scored four goals in the World Cup, tallying in all three group matches, one against Ecuador, two against China PR and one against Norway. Johnson scored twice, against Norway and a world class strike against the Netherlands.
- Defender Lizzie Boamah (Stanford), defender Aven Alvarez UNC) and Adames were a part of the U.S. U-19 WNT that took bronze at the 2023 Pan American Games while playing against senior national teams. That team also featured current full USWNT pool players Gisele Thompson and Claire Hutton.
- Of the nine college players on the roster, three are from Stanford and two are from UNC.
