Tournament Notes: U.S. Under-17 WNT Takes on Spain in Round of 16 at 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
USA-Spain kicks off Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and Telemundo Deportes Ahora in Spanish and same day delayed on FS2 at 6 p.m. ET in English
USA FACES SPAIN IN ROUND OF 16 TO BEGIN KNOCKOUT STAGES: After winning its first two group matches 17-0 vs. Samoa and 6-1 vs. Kenya, the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team took second in Group E after a hard fought 3-2 loss to China PR in the group finale. Coming into the game, the USA and China PR had already secured spots in the knockout round, but with the loss, the USA will now face Group F winners Spain in the Round of 16 on Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. ET. The match will be played on Pitch 4 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex (Live at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock and Telemundo Deportes Ahora in Spanish and same day delayed on FS2 at 6 p.m. ET in English). Fans can follow the U-17 WNT through the tournament on ussoccer.com, Facebook, Twitter/X (@USYNT) and Instagram (@USYNT).
2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup Group E Play – U.S. Stats to Track
Goalkeepers (3): Alexis Fischer (Eclipse Select SC; Chicago, Ill.; 3), Kathy Long Capell (Crossfire Premier SC; Woodinville, Wash.; 2), Avellina Saunders (Utah Royals FC Arizona; Phoenix, Ariz.; 8)
Defenders (7): Meila Brewer (Dallas Trinity FC; Overland Park, Kan.; 17/2), Kendra Hansen (Pateadores SC; Tustin, Calif.; 12/0), Maddie Maves (Crossfire Premier SC; Seattle, Wash.; 11/0), Venina Moodie (De Anza Force SC; Oakland, Calif.; 10/0), Cassie Travers (Gotham FC U-18; Santa Cruz, Calif.; 2/0), Anaiah Williams (Eclipse Select SC; Glendale Heights, Ill.; 12/0), Gigi Zuniga (Mountain View Los Altos SC; Watsonville, Calif.; 11/0)
Midfielders (5): Mia Corona (UCLA; Cypress, Calif.; 12/3), Jordyn Heathcock (FC Dallas; Edmond, Okla.; 11/1), Grace Murray (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.; 11/2), Isa Ortiz (Florida United SC; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; 6/2), Loradana Paletta (New York City FC; Syosset, N.Y.; 19/8)
Forwards (6): Maddie DiMaria (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; Fenton, Mo.; 21/23), Gianna Hanf (Match Fit Surf; Chesterfield, N.J.; 11/4), Amari Manning (UNC; Flemington, N.J.; 15/7), Carolina Reyna (FC Westlake; Austin, Texas; 8/1), Deus Stanislaus (UNC; Fort Washington, Pa.; 15/10), Jordyn Sullivan (Match Fit Surf; Rumson, N.J.; 7/0)
BUILDING THE U.S. ROSTER: For the third time, the U.S. roster for a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup features at least one professional player. This year’s squad features just one in defender Meila Brewer, who recently left the Kansas City Current of the NWSL to sign with Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League. Brewer played one season UCLA (2025) where she started eight of her nine games due to her participating in last year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup was the first time professionals played for the USA in this tournament.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, are age-eligible for this World Cup. U.S. head coach Ciara Crinion chose 16 players born in 2009, four born in 2010 and one, Loradana Paletta, born in 2011. Fifteen players will be 17 years old at the start of the World Cup tournament, and three will be 16. The three who will be 15 years old are Paletta, goalkeeper Avellina Saunders and defender Gigi Zuniga. Those three, as well as the two other players born in 2010 – Cassie Travers and Isa Ortiz – are age-eligible for next year’s 2027 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
MAJOR TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE: Crinion named 14 players who were part of the U.S. team that finished atop the group at the Final Round of the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers to earn a berth to this World Cup. Brewer and forward Maddie DiMaria are the only players on the roster who also played in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup when the USA went out on penalty kicks in the Round of 16, falling 7-6 in a dramatic shootout to the Netherlands after a 1-1 tie in regulation time.
THE MADDIE DiMARIA FILE: With 23 career goals at the U-17 level, DiMaria is the leading scorer on this roster. She is also the most-capped player on the roster at this level with 21 international matches played so far.
ROSTER NOTES
CRINION AT THE HELM: This is the first World Cup for U.S. head coach Ciara Crinion, who came to U.S. Soccer after spending more than ten years coaching in the NCAA. She works closely with entire U.S. Soccer coaching staff to maximize the development, evaluation and movement of players between age groups for training camps and matches. Crinion guided the U-15 WNT to the championship at the 2024 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship, where the U.S. won its fourth-straight title at this age level. At that Concacaf championship, which was held in Costa Rica, the USA outscored its opponents 31-1 and defeated Mexico, 3-0, in the title game. It was the USA’s first Concacaf U-15 championship won outside the USA. Seven players on this U-17 WWC team played for Crinion in that U-15 tournament: Meila Brewer, Mia Corona, Loradana Paletta, Deus Stanislaus, Maddie DiMaria, Amari Manning and Carolina Reyna. Crinion also served as an assistant coach for the senior USWNT during the period in which Twila Kilgore was interim USWNT head coach, before Emma Hayes came on board, and helped the U.S. to win the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and 2024 SheBelieves Cup.
U.S U-17 WNT vs. SPAIN:
Goalkeepers (3): Anita Veiga (Deportivo La Coruña), Nuria Carracedo (Real Madrid C.F.), Goiatz Ferraz (Athletic Club)
Defenders (5): Maialen Valladares (Athletic Club), Marta Vega (Real Madrid C.F.), Abril Diaz (Real Madrid C.F.), Abril Rius (FC Barcelona), Maddi Martin (Athletic Club)
Midfielders (7): Avril Serrano (FC Barcelona), Laia Cabetas (FC Barcelona), Vera Molina (Granada FC), Angela Galvez (Atletico de Madrid), Carolina Ferrera (FC Barcelona), Elena Vizuete (FC Barcelona), Uzuri Cadenato (Athletic Club),
Forwards (6): Lidia Gibert (FC Barcelona), Maria Rius (FC Barcelona), Bruna Quintana (FC Barcelona), Maria Aymerich (Madrid CFF), Iraia Fernandez (Athletic Club), Rocio Elain De La Cruz (Atletico de Madrid)
24 TEAMS VIE FOR 10th U-17 TITLE: This year marks the 10th edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team has participated in seven of the nine U-17 Women’s World Cups that have been staged since FIFA began holding the competition for this age group in 2008. The USA finished the first tournament in 2008 as runner-up to Korea DPR after a 2-1 overtime loss in the final. Four years later in 2012, having missed out on the 2010 edition of the tournament, the U-17s returned to the competition, only to be eliminated in group play despite finishing level on points with eventual champion France and runner-up Korea DPR. The U.S. U-17s did not qualify for the 2014 competition but returned for the 2016 event in Jordan. At the first Women’s World Cup to be held in the Middle East, the USA won its first group game but lost its next two matches and did not qualify for the knockout rounds. In 2018 in Uruguay, the USA started fast but dropped its next two group games and did not advance. In 2020, the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was also the reason for the eventual cancellation of the FIFA Under-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup in India. India was awarded by the hosting rights by FIFA for the 2022 tournament at which the USA put on an impressive performance, winning its group before falling in penalty kicks in the quarterfinal. In 2024 in the Dominican Republic, the USA made a triumphant return to the podium, placing third, its best finish since 2008. Last year, the U.S. fell in the Round of 16 to the Netherlands after a 1-1 draw went to penalty kicks. Both teams were perfect through six, but the U.S. missed its seventh attempt.
U.S. U-17 WNT A SPRINGBOARD TO SENIOR WNT: The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup has been a launching point for many players who have gone on to represent the full USWNT and many more who have played professionally. In fact, 22 different players who have played in a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup for the USA have gone on to earn at least one cap for the senior side (although several players played in multiple youth World Cups). From the USA’s 2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup Team, Trinity Rodman went on to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team and 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Team members Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith, now Wilson, joined her along with 2008 FIFA U-17 WWC player Crystal Dunn. 2012 FIFA U-17 WWC goalkeeper Jane Campbell served as an alternate player for the 2024 Olympics. Dunn, Girma, Rodman, Wilson, 2012 FIFA U-17 WWC player Andi Sullivan and 2016 FIFA U-17 WWC player Ashley Sanchez all appeared on the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup roster for the U.S. From the 2022 FIFA U-27 WWC Team, three players have already earned caps with the USWNT: Jordyn Bugg, Gisele Thompson and Riley Jackson.
From 2008-2022, an average of 4.4 players per U.S. U-17 World Cup Team have gone on to represent the full USWNT, which represents about 21% of each roster.
From the USA’s 2022 FIFA U-17 WWC Team, Jordyn Bugg, Riley Jackson and Gisele Thompson went on to earn USWNT caps.
The 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Team featured Trinity Rodman, Mia Fishel and Sam Meza. As well as Trinity Byars who just was called into her first senior team camp.
USWNT players Naomi Girma, Jaelin Howell, Izzy Rodriguez, Ashley Sanchez, Sophia Smith (now Wilson), Kennedy Wesley and Kate Weisner all played for the U.S. at the 2016 U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup, making it the U-17 WWC with the most players to earn senior team caps thus far with seven.
In 2012, Jane Campbell, Midge Purce and Andi Sullivan were on the U-17 Women’s World Cup Team.
FIFA World Cup champions Morgan Gautrat, Crystal Dunn and Samantha Mewis played on the 2008 U-17 Women’s World Cup team along with Samantha’s sister Kristie Mewis and Erika Tymrak.
TOURNAMENT REGS