ATLANTA (Oct. 15, 2026) -- The U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team opened the 2026 IFCPF Women’s World Cup with a 6-2 win over Finland at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, GA. Jesslyn Kuhnel scored a hat trick and Annie Wickett added a brace as the Americans began their tournament campaign in the first-ever IFCPF World Cup hosted in America.
The U.S. controlled possession from the start and took the lead in the second minute. American Kaia Spencer dribbled through the midfield and delivered a cross that found Michelle Cross, who took a shot on goal. Finland’s goalkeeper Tuuli Aaltonen deflected the ball for the save, but it rebounded to Kuhnel, who scored the first of her three goals with a well-placed right-footed shot.
In the 12th minute, the U.S. doubled their lead when Finland captain Minttu Kurki tried to clear a service from a corner kick and redirected the ball into her own net.
Kurki, though, answered that own goal tally quickly for Finland on the other end of the field just a minute later, combining on a give-and-go with Laura Susanna Paavilainen in the midfield before driving a ball from outside the penalty box and into the back of the net.
After seeing their lead cut in half, the USA's persistent attack paid off with veteran Annie Wickett scoring the team's third goal in the 19th minute off a throw-in as she skillfully dribbled through several defenders and targeted a shot into the bottom left corner to restore the team's two-goal advantage.
Kuhnel made it 4-1 just three minutes later, running onto a pass from Spencer and expertly firing a hard shot into the upper right corner.
The Americans scored twice in the second half, with Kuhnel completing her hat trick in the 32nd minute and Wickett delivering her brace three minutes later.
The skillful Finland squad kept pushing and scored the last goal of the match in the 41st minute but the Americans would close it out 6-2 to claim the victory in their first-ever match as hosts in the IFCPF World Cup.
Up next, the U.S. faces Japan on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 4:30 p.m. ET at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. All matches stream live on the IFCPF YouTube channel. The World Cup is the first major international event held at the National Training Center and the first time the facility has been open to the public. Fans can reserve free tickets here.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- Janie Richardson and goalkeeper Gabriella Scotto made their World Cup debut as second half substitutes.
- Kuhnel is now the program’s all-time leading scorer, with 25 goals in 16 caps.
- The Americans are 15W-2L-1D all-time and have outscored opponents 148-22 since beginning play in 2022.
- The U.S. and Finland met for the first time at a World Cup in the group-stage opener.
- The last time the U.S. faced Japan, it won 12-0 to reach the 2024 Women’s World Cup final. The teams drew 1-1 in the inaugural 2022 Women’s World Cup.
- The reigning IFCPF Women’s Intercontinental Cup champions, the U.S. won the inaugural IFCPF Women’s World Cup in 2022 and finished as a runner-up to Australia in 2024.
- The U.S. is in Group A, a three-team group with Finland and Japan. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals on Oct. 21 and the winners meet in the final on Oct. 23.
- The field of seven teams competing in the IFCPF Women’s World Cup marks the largest women's competition in the history of women's CP soccer.
-U.S. WOMEN'S CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team vs. Finland
Date: October 15, 2026
Competition: 2026 IFCPF World Cup – Group Stage
Venue: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center; Fayetteville, Ga.
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 83 sunny
Attendance: 200
| Scoring Summary |
1 |
2 |
F |
| USA |
4 |
2 |
6 |
| FIN |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Michelle Cross) | 2nd minute |
| USA – Own Goal (Minttu Kurki) | 12 |
| FIN – Minttu Kurki | 13 |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 19 |
| USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Kaia Spencer) | 22 |
| USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Annie Wickett) | 32 |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 35 |
| FIN – Laura Susanna Paavilainen | 41 |
Lineups:
USA: 7-Catarina Guimares (6-Janie Richardson,47) (Capt.); 3-Annie Wickett (11-Isabella Stankunas,43), 4-Michelle Cross; 10-Jesslyn Kuhnel (5-Joey Martin,43), 8-Kaia Spencer (12-Gabriella Scotto,37)
Substitutes: 9-Leah Glaser
Head coach: Chris Maravalli
FIN: 2-Tuuli Aaltonen; 5-Venla Matilda Salo(13-Matilda Linnea Laurell,26), 8-Minttu Kurki (14-Isabella Alaraasakka,33) (Capt.); 9-Laura Susanna Paavilainen (4-Taika-Pivi Suviranta,46), 10-Johanna Neea Sahlström (6-Maisa Sofia Nhung Fraser,46)
Substitutes: 11-Vilma Ida Berg
Head coach: Panu Laurell
Stats Summary: USA / FIN
Shots: 9 / 4
Shots on Goal: 7 / 2
Saves: 0 / 2
Fouls: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 1
Fouls: 2 / 2
Offside: 0 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Keith Stroud (N/A)
Assistant Referee 1: B. Marshall (N/A)
Assistant Referee 2: S. Rezaee (N/A)
Fourth Official: K. Holton (N/A)
