Apr 11, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; United States forward Sophia Wilson (11) runs on the pitch during the first half against Japan at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The U.S. women’s and men’s national teams fell in similar fashion on Saturday, both by a final score of 2-1, with one caveat: the men begin their World Cup in mere days.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, it’s hard to forget that the women are approximately a year out from their own World Cup tournament. And the loss to Brazil may be a warning signal to Emma Hayes that it’s time to find her starting XI.
“The good news is we’re not eliminated from the World Cup right now,” Hayes said during her postgame press conference on Saturday. “We have another game to play and for us, all of our learnings are about getting closer, closer to the best version of ourselves. It’s exactly the experience that we wanted, because for us we have to prepare to try and qualify to be here in a year’s time.”
Access the best women’s soccer coverage all year long
Start your FREE, 7-day trial of The Equalizer Extra for industry-leading reporting and insight on the USWNT, NWSL and beyond.
