ATLANTA (Oct. 21, 2026) -- The U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team punched its ticket to the 2026 IFCPF Women’s World Cup Final with a resounding 15-0 win against Ireland in the semifinals at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, Ga.
Annie Wickett led the way with five goals all coming in the first half, while Jesslyn Kuhnel recorded her second brace of the tournament. Michelle Cross, Catarina Guimares and Kaia Spencer also added two goals, with Isabella Stankunas and Janie Richardson providing one goal apiece.
The Americans struck within seconds of the opening whistle. Spencer made a quick pass inside the box to Cross, who finished from the right side in the first minute for a 1-0 lead.
Wickett doubled the advantage two minutes later, when she won the ball and dribbled in to score. Kuhnel then made it 3-0 in the fifth minute.
The U.S. defense shut down Ireland’s limited attempts to score. Meanwhile, Irish goalkeeper Reeva Merriman faced a steady stream of shots.
Wickett added her second goal in the 14th minute after she won the ball in the attacking third and dribbled toward goal. One minute later, she completed her hat trick, finishing a rebound inside the box after Kuhnel’s shot.
Spencer scored the sixth goal in the 19th minute. Wickett then added her fourth in the 23rd minute after she dribbled from right to left through several defenders inside the box.
The Americans scored two more goals in first-half stoppage time. Spencer found the net in the first minute of stoppage time, before Wickett won the ball just outside the box and fired it into the back of the net a minute later for her fifth goal.
Ireland’s lone shot on goal came just before halftime, a long-range effort that Guimaraes pushed away to preserve the shoutout.
At halftime, captain Guimaraes traded her goalkeeper jersey with field player Gabriella Scotto, who took over in goal. Guimaraes added to the score quickly after she unleashed a powerful shot from just inside the box in the 30th minute, netting her first goal of the match.
Kuhnel completed her brace in the 33rd minute after scoring off an assist from Cross. Four minutes later, Guimaraes added her second with a one-touch finish off a pass from Stankunas.
Cross completed her brace in the 39th minute. Ireland captain Elsie Friel tried to work her way toward goal, but the U.S. defense held firm. Stankunas, was a constant presence on the defense and got on the scoresheet in the 45th minute, when she powered a shot from midfield into the back of the next.
Richardson capped the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time with her first World Cup goal.
The U.S. outshot Ireland 29-3 and with 25 shots on goal. Irish goalkeeper Reeva Merriman finished with 10 saves.
The U.S. will close out the tournament and play for the world championship on Friday, Oct. 23, against the winner of the other semifinal between Australia and Finland. The Americans won the inaugural IFCPF Women’s World Cup in 2022 and finished as runner-up to Australia in 2024, falling 6-2 in the final. All matches are broadcast live on the IFCPF YouTube Channel. The IFCPF World Cup is the first major international competition to ever be played at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center and the first event open to the public (free reserved tickets available here).
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- The U.S. has reached the final in all three editions of the IFCPF Women’s World Cup.
- The U.S. has outscored opponents 23-2 in three matches at the 2026 World Cup, including back-to-back shutouts.
- Wickett and Kuhnel share the team lead with seven goals each.
- Kuhnel has scored in every match of the tournament, with hat tricks against Finland and Ireland.
- Kuhnel remains the program’s all-time leading scorer, with 29 goal in 18 caps.
- Richardson scored her first World Cup goal. She and goalkeeper Scotto made their World Cup debuts as second-half substitutes against Finland.
- The Americans are 17W-2L-1D all-time and have outscored opponents 165-22 since play in 2022.
-U.S. WOMEN'S CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team vs. Ireland
Date: October 21, 2026
Competition: 2026 IFCPF World Cup – Semifinal
Venue: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center; Fayetteville, Ga.
Kickoff: 2:00 p.m. ET
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny
| Scoring Summary |
1 |
2 |
F |
| USA |
9 |
6 |
15 |
| IRL |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| USA – Michelle Cross (Kaia Spencer) | 1st minute |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 3 |
| USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel | 5 |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 14 |
| USA – Annie Wickett (Jesslyn Kuhnel) | 15 |
| USA – Kaia Spencer | 19 |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 23 |
| USA – Kaia Spencer | 25+1 |
| USA – Annie Wickett | 25+2 |
| USA – Catarina Guimaraes | 30 |
| USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Michelle Cross) | 33 |
| USA – Catarina Guimaraes (Isabella Stankunas) | 36 |
| USA – Michelle Cross | 39 |
| USA – Isabella Stankunas | 45 |
| USA – Janie Richardson | 50+1 |
Lineups:
USA: 7-Catarina Guimaraes (12-Gabriella Scotto, 26) (Capt.); 4-Michelle Cross (9-Leah Glaser, 41), 10-Jesslyn Kuhnel (5-Joey Emma Martin, 35); 8-Kaia Spencer (6-Janie Richardson, 41), 3-Annie Wickett (11-Isabella Stankunas, 26)
Substitutes: N/A
Head coach: Chris Maravalli
IRL:1-Reeva Merriman; 3-Casey Heaney (7-Robyn Ennis, 26), 5-Eva Walsh (10-Aisling Duncan,26), 6-Katie Finegan (Capt.) (2-Ella Sherlock, 13) (9-Kate Connolly, 37); 8-Elsie Friel (4-Isobel Clark, 49)
Substitutes: N/A
Head coach: Aisling Conway
Stats Summary: USA / IRL
Shots: 29 / 3
Shots on Goal: 25 / 1
Saves: 1 / 10
Corner Kicks: 7 / 0
Fouls: 2 / 3
Misconduct Summary:
N/A
Officials:
Referee: Skye-Arthur Bennet (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Margaret Domka (USA)
Fourth Official: Karen Abt (USA)
