USWNT Faces Korea Republic as Hayes Takes Helm in Denver

The U.S.Women’s National Team opens a new era on Saturday, June 1 when it faces Korea Republic at 3 p.m. MT / 5 p.m. ET at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado (TNT, Universo, Max and Peacock). This will be the first match for USWNT head coach Emma Hayes, who officially takes helm of the U.S. program following 12 trophy-laden seasons with Chelsea FC in England. Saturday’s match will be the first of four matches before the Olympics and one of only two matches before Hayes and her staff must select the 18-player final roster for Paris 2024. Having won both the Concacaf W Gold Cup and SheBelieves Cup earlier this year under the direction of interim head coach Twila Kilgore, the U.S. looks to continue building under the direction of Hayes with its sights set on a return to the podium in France.

Following the match in Commerce City, the U.S .and Korea Republic will travel to St. Paul, Minn. where they will meet on Tuesday, June 4 in a match presented by Allstate (7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET on truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock).

Fans can follow all the action from the W Gold Cup via X (formerly Twitter - @USWNT),Instagram (@USWNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.

THE HAYES ERA KICKS OFF

After a worldwide search process led U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker, Emma Hayes was officially announced as the 10th head coach in U.S. Women’s National Team history on November 14, 2023. The long-time head coach for English powerhouse Chelsea FC, Hayes started her coaching career in the United States in the early 2000s and more than two decades later takes the helm of the USWNT as the fourth full-time head coach in program history. Due to her contact with Chelsea, Hayes finished out the 2023-24 Women’s Super League season in England and joined the U.S. team just days after leading the Blues to their fifth consecutive WSL trophy.

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB) - 2024 JUNE FRIENDLIES

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)

DEFENDERS (7): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Sam Staab (Chicago Red Stars)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax, NED)

FORWARDS (7): Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea, ENG), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

Hayes named her first USWNT roster on May 21 with the roster for these matches against Korea Republic featuring a mix of veterans, up-and-coming players and three players who have yet to be capped. Nineteen of the 23 players on this roster helped the USA win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup in April and 17 were a part of the roster that won the W Gold Cup earlier this year.

Midfielder Rose Lavelle returns to the roster just two caps shy of reaching 100 in her international career along with the addition of goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury and two first-time call-ups in defender Sam Staab and midfielder Hal Hershfelt. Sixteen-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, who earned her first call-up for the SheBelieves Cup but did not see game action, is the other uncapped player on this roster.

HOMETOWN HEROES

The June roster to features three Colorado natives in midfielder Lindsey Horan (Golden) and forwards Sophia Smith (Windsor) and Mallory Swanson (Highlands Ranch). These three have scored 40 percent (22 of 55) of the USWNT’s goals since the start of 2023 and all three have previously played and scored for the USWNT at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Smith, who leads the NWSL in scoring this season and was named the 2024 Visa SheBelieves Cup MVP, scored in the USA’s most recent match in Colorado, bagging a brace against Colombia on June 25, 2022. Swanson, who made her return to the U.S. roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, netted a brace against Australia on April 4, 2019, in a memorable match in which she scored just 37 seconds after entering the game and then scored again in second-half stoppage time after running onto a punt from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Horan, who led Olympique Lyon to the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, scored at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on June 2, 2016, in the 89th minute against Japan.

2024 MEDIA GUIDE

The 2024 U.S. Women’s National Team Media Guide is available for download. The Media Guide features all the history and statistics for the USWNT, as well as full bios on technical staff and the current top players, information on the USA’s Youth Women’s National Teams and general important information on U.S. Soccer.

HISTORIC DOUBLEHEADER

Continuing in its mission to celebrate soccer in all of its forms, on May 10 U.S. Soccer announced that the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team would host Australia, in a match presented by Volkswagen, in the first game of a historic doubleheader with the USWNT on June 1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. Adding to this historic event, the three-time World Deaf Football champions’ match against Australia will be broadcast live at 2 p.m. ET / Noon MT on truTV, Max and the Telemundo App marking the first time one of the Federation's nine Extended National Teams will play on television in a U.S. Soccer-controlled match, while Volkswagen's title sponsorship is the first time an ENT match has had a presenting partner.

Just as the USWNT has set the standard of success for international women’s soccer, the U.S. Deaf WNT has been a dominant force in the deaf game, winning three DIFA World Deaf Football Championships and four Deaflympics, while compiling a remarkable 37-0-1 international record since beginning play in 2005. The team is coached by Griffin (née Allmann), who earned 24 caps for the USWNT, while two-time Women’s World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Joy Fawcett, who played 241 times for the USWNT, serves as an assistant coach.

U.S. SOCCER CELEBRATES PRIDE MONTH

For the sixth consecutive year, U.S. Soccer has partnered with the You Can Play Project to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month in June. The You Can Play Project is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches and fans no matter their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

U.S. Soccer will auction off signed, player-worn Women’s and Men’s National Team jerseys with rainbow-themed numbers inspired by Pride, with all proceeds going to You Can Play to help promote a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community. The auction will run through June 30 at ussoccer.com/youcanplay.

INSIDE THE SERIES: USA vs. KOREA REPUBLIC

Saturday’s match in Denver will be the 16th meeting all-time between the USA and Korea Republic and the first since the teams met in a pair of matches in October 2021. The USWNT is unbeaten in the all-time series with South Korea, boasting a record for 11W-0L-4D in the previous meetings between the teams, all of which have come in friendly competitions and been played in the United States.

Following a 1-1 draw in Chicago on October 6, 2019, in what was the final match for former USWNT head coach Jill Ellis, the teams played to a 0-0 draw on October 21, 2021, in Kansas City and then travelled to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the USA won 6-0 on October 26 in the farewell match for legend Carli Lloyd. Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle, Lynn Williams and Megan Rapinoe all scored for the U.S. in that game and the Americans also benefitted from an own goal.

Korea Republic will be the fourth different opponent from Asia that the USA has faced over the last 12 months, facing Vietnam in the opening match of the 2023 World Cup, playing China PR twice in December of 2023 and most recently beating Japan 2-1 in the semifinal of the 2024 SheBelieves Cup in Atlanta. The U.S. is unbeaten in its last 26 matches against AFC foes (20W-0L-6D), the last defeat coming in a 1-0 loss to Australia during the 2017 Tournament of Nations.

FRANCE FAST APPROACHING

In less than two months, the USA will kick off play at the 2024 Summer Olympics, opening Group B play on July 25 – one day before the Olympic Opening Ceremonies – against Zambia at Stade de Nice in Nice (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET). Zambia defeated Morocco 3-2 on aggregate in the two-legged playoff in CAF Qualifying in April to secure the 12th and final spot in the Olympic field.

After opening the tournament in Nice, the Americans will travel to Marseille for their second match at Stade de Marseille and will face Germany on July 28 (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET). The USA will finish group play against Australia on July 31 (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET) at Stade de Marseille. Located in the south for France, Nice is nearly 600 miles from Paris near France’s border with Monaco and Italy. Marseille, located 125 miles west of Nice, is the second-largest city in France.

The USA will play two final games before leaving for France, those taking place on July 13 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.

USA TEAM & ROSTER NOTES

• This will be the USWNT’s ninth match all-time in the state of Colorado, all eight previous matches also being played in Denver.
• Seven players on this roster have more than 50 caps, including three – Alex Morgan (223), Lindsey Horan (146) and Crystal Dunn (145) – with more 100+ international appearances.
• Seven players on this roster have 10 caps or fewer, including three uncapped players in 16-year-old midfielder Lily Yohannes, 21-year-old midfielder Hal Hershfelt and 27-year-old defender Sam Staab.
• Yohannes is one of two teenagers on this roster along with 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw. Shaw played at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica along with now 20-year-old Korbin Albert.
• Nine players on this roster – Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith, Catarina Macario, Hal Hershfelt, Jenna Nighswonger, Trinity Rodman, Korbin Albert, Jaedyn Shaw and Lily Yohannes – were born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this summer. Smith became the first player born after the ’99 World Cup to earn a USWNT cap when she debuted for the U.S. on November 27, 2020, against the Netherlands.
• Alex Morgan is the top scorer on this roster with 123 career international goals, followed by Horan with 35 goals, Mallory Swanson with 32 and Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn with 24 each.
• Seven different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by five goals from Shaw, four goals from Horan, three from Sophia Smith, two goals each from Morgan, Olivia Moultrie and Jenna Nighswonger and one from Lynn Williams.
• Trinity Rodman, Midge Purce and Lavelle lead the U.S. with two assists each in 2024 while Smith, Horan, Morgan, Sam Coffey, Emily Fox, Jaedyn Shaw and Casey Krueger all have one assist.
• Overall, 13 different players have been directly involved in a goal for the USA in 2024, led by six goal involvements from Shaw (5 goals, 1 assist) and five from Horan (4 goals, 1 assist).
• Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who is out for these matches against Korea Republic with a thigh injury, leads the USWNT with 660 total minutes played so far in 2024, followed by Horan (653 minutes) and Emily Fox (597).
• Eleven players called up for this camp were on the USA’s roster at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and seven – Davidson, Dunn, Horan, Lavelle, Morgan, Swanson and Sonnett – were on the roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup Champions.
• Twelve clubs – and eight different NWSL clubs – are represented on this roster. NWSL champions NJ/NY Gotham FC leads the way with five players.

IN FOCUS: KOREA REPUBLIC | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
Current FIFA World Ranking: 20
AFC Ranking: 5
Olympic Appearances: N/A
Record vs. USA: 0W-11L-4D
Coach: Colin Bell (ENG)

KOREA REPUBLIC WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-CHOI Yeseul (Gyeongju KHNP WF), 18-KIM Jungmi (Incheon Hyundai Steel WFC), 21-KIM Kyeonghee (Suwon FC Women)

DEFENDERS (8): 2-LEE Eunyoung (Changnyeong WFC), 3-HONG Hyeji (Incheon Hyundai Steel WFC), 4-WON Jueun (Ulsan Hyundai High School), 5-GO Yuna (Hwacheon KSPO), 16-KWON Daeun (Ulsan Hyundai High School), 17-LEE Youngju (Madrid CFF, ESP), 20-KIM Hyeri (Incheon Hyundai Steel WFC), 22-CHOO Hyojoo (Incheon Hyundai Steel WFC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): 6-HONG Seoyoon (Gwangyang Girl's High School), 7-LEE Jungeun (Hwacheon KSPO), 8-CHO Sohyun (Birmingham City, ENG), 9-LEE Geummin (Brighton & Hove Albion FC, ENG), 10-JI Soyun (Seattle Reign FC, USA), 14-JEON Eunha (Suwon FC Women), 19-LEE Sohee (Incheon Hyundai Steel WFC), 23-KANG Chaerim (Suwon FC Women)

FORWARDS (4): 11-CHOE Yuri (Birmingham City, ENG), 12-MOON Mira (Suwon FC Women), 13-Casey PHAIR (Angel City FC, USA), 15-CHUN Garam (Hwacheon KSPO)

KOREA REPUBLIC TEAM NOTES

• South Korea will not be going to the 2024 Olympics, crashing out of 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the Second Round. A 10-1 win over Thailand was not enough due to a 0-0 draw with North Korea and a 1-1 draw with China PR, which meant that the Taegeuk Ladies finished second in the group and did not advance to the semifinals. North Korea did advance, but lost to Japan, 2-1, in the match for an Olympic berth.
• Korea Republic has called in 23 players for the two games against the USA. Leading the way is captain and midfielder Ji So-Yun who is currently playing for Seattle Reign FC and played eight seasons for current U.S. head coach Emma Hayes at Chelsea FC.
• Ji is by far the top scorer on this roster, followed by Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Lee Guemmin, who has scored 27 goals in 88 games for her country. Birmingham City midfielder Cho Sohyun has 26 goals in her 152 caps.
• South Korea has a Korean-American on its roster in 16-year-old Casey Phair, who is on the Angel City FC roster, but has yet to make her NWSL debut. Phair was on South Korea’s 2023 World Cup Team and was the youngest player to ever feature in a FIFA Women's World Cup, making her debut at the age of 16 years and 26 days old against Colombia. Phair played in all three of South Korea's group stage matches and made her first start in the team's final match against Germany, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
• Phair was born in South Korea to an American father and South Korean mother, but her family moved to the New Jersey when she was one month old. She played her club soccer for PDA and was the first multiracial player to ever receive a call-up to the South Korea Women's National Team. She is also one of very few players to have been capped by a high-level senior national team before having ever played professionally for any club, having signed with Angel City in January of 2024.
• While Ji was the first South Korean to play in the FA WSL, but she is one of three players on this roster plying her trade in Europe along with Cho Sohyn, Lee Guemmin and Madrid CFF defender Lee Yongju.
• The remaining 19 players on the roster all play their club soccer domestically in South Korea, five of them for the Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels, the 2023 WK League champions and current league leaders.
• South Korea played matches in the February and April FIFA windows this year, defeating the Czech Republic once and the Philippines twice, while losing to Portugal.
• U.S. head coach Emma Hayes will face an Englishman in her first match. Korea head coach Colin Bell, who was named October of 2019, brings experience at both the international and club level. He led the Taegeuk Ladies to a third consecutive World Cup in 2023 and has had several head coaching stints in Germany’s Women’s Bundesliga, including a spell at FFC Frankfurt, winning the league cup in 2014 and the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2015. From 2017-19, Bell served as head coach of the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team.