U.S. U-23 WNT Begins São Paulo Camp with Two Matches Against SC Corinthians
U.S. U-23 WNT opens June 1–9 training camp in São Paulo, facing Corinthians on June 5 and June 9; 20-player roster mixes NWSL talent, senior-capped players and overage choices.
The U.S. U-23 WNT convened a 20-player training camp in São Paulo on June 1, beginning a nine-day preparation period that will include two matches against SC Corinthians Paulista on June 5 and June 9. The camp, led by head coach Heather Dyche, brings together a blend of NWSL regulars, international-based players and several athletes with recent senior-team experience. The U-23 side will train at local facilities and play the first match at DR Joaquim Grava Stadium, then conclude the trip with a fixture at Estadio Marcelo Portugal Gouveia in Cotia. The visit runs alongside the senior USWNT’s trip to Brazil, offering a coordinated development opportunity for emerging players ahead of the 2027 World Cup cycle.
Training Camp Schedule and Match Venues
The U-23 camp runs from June 1 through June 9, with the first on-field test scheduled for June 5 at Corinthians’ DR Joaquim Grava Stadium on the club’s training campus. The second friendly will take place on June 9 at São Paulo FC’s youth training ground in Cotia at Estadio Marcelo Portugal Gouveia. Both matches are intended to give the coaching staff live-game data on tactical cohesion and individual readiness against a top-tier Brasileirão Feminino Série A1 opponent.
Corinthians arrive at the fixtures in strong domestic form, currently atop the Brasileirão table and coming off a runner-up finish in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup earlier this year. Playing two fixtures against a leading Brazilian side will allow the U-23s to test their defensive structure, midfield transitions and attacking patterns against a high-intensity opponent.
Roster Composition and Positional Breakdown
Coach Heather Dyche named a 20-player group featuring two goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders and six forwards. The goalkeeping contingent includes Neeku Purcell of Seattle Reign FC and Jordan Silkowitz of Bay FC. The defensive corps lists Jordyn Bugg, Carolyn Calzada, Kate Del Fava, Eva Gaetino, Leah Klenke, Ayo Oke and Evelyn Shores. Midfield options comprise Sofia Cook, Ally Lemos, Yuna McCormack, Taylor Suarez and Pietra Tordin. The forward line is led by Trinity Byars, Maddie Dahlien, Jordynn Dudley, Mia Fishel, Madison Haley and Kat Rader.
The roster reflects a cross-section of professional environments, with most players currently in the NWSL and one member, Madison Haley, playing in the English top flight. Seattle Reign FC supplies the largest single-club representation with four players, while expansion side Denver Summit FC contributes three athletes to the group.
Senior-Team Experience and Player Pathways
This camp includes several players who have recently intersected with the senior USWNT program, underscoring the federation’s pathway approach. Five players on the roster have earned senior caps: Jordyn Bugg, Eva Gaetino, Ayo Oke, Maddie Dahlien and Mia Fishel. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz has been involved with senior-team setups but does not yet hold a senior cap. The inclusion of players who move between the U-23s and the senior squad aligns with head coach Emma Hayes’ emphasis on close integration between age-group development and the full national team.
The 2026 calendar has already seen multiple U-23 alumni step up to the senior level, and last year’s pathway work delivered significant returns. Fourteen players who logged minutes for the U-23s in 2025 eventually received full USWNT call-ups, illustrating the U-23 program’s role as a bridge for elite prospects.
Overage Picks and Age-Eligibility Details
Age-eligible players for this U-23 cycle are those born on or after January 1, 2003, but the coaching staff has again exercised the option to include overage players to add experience and physical maturity. The roster contains five overage players born before that cutoff: Jordan Silkowitz (2000), Eva Gaetino (2002), Kate Del Fava (1998), Madison Haley (1998) and Mia Fishel (2001). Those selections are intended to create a balance between developmental minutes for younger prospects and more seasoned options who can guide the group in match situations.
The tactical rationale for overage inclusions is twofold: to raise the standard of competition within training sessions and to provide on-field leadership during friendlies. Coaches commonly use this approach at U-23 level to accelerate the transition of promising talents into roles that mirror senior-team demands.
Club Notes, NWSL Integration and Player Milestones
Nineteen of the 20 players in camp are active in the NWSL, with nine athletes in their first NWSL season. Several players joined the league this year after moves from abroad or from different professional environments; Eva Gaetino arrived after a transfer from Paris Saint-Germain and Ayo Oke signed following a first professional season in Mexico with Pachuca. Seven players are in both their debut NWSL season and their first professional campaign, highlighting the influx of young talent into the league.
Madison Haley remains the only roster member plying her trade outside the NWSL, finishing the season with Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League where she contributed goals across league and cup competition. Haley’s background includes extensive youth national-team experience with U.S. teams from U-14 through U-18 levels, and she is the daughter of NFL Hall of Famer Charles Haley.
Tournament and Youth World Cup Pedigree
A sizable sub-group of the roster boasts youth World Cup experience, reflecting the continuity of U.S. development programs. Eleven players represented the United States at FIFA youth World Cups, and eight members of this roster were part of the U.S. squad that finished third at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Pietra Tordin led that 2024 U-20 side in goals, including a hat trick in the group stage against Paraguay, and she has carried her scoring into the professional season for the Portland Thorns.
Those tournament backgrounds provide international match exposure that is valuable in a short preseason-style camp, where adapting to a different style of play and traveling conditions can accelerate individual growth and team cohesion.
Coordination with USWNT Senior Schedule and World Cup Preparation
The U-23 camp is aligned with the senior USWNT’s Brazil trip, which sees Emma Hayes’ first-team squad play Brazil on June 6 in São Paulo and June 9 in Fortaleza. The U-23 group will attend the June 6 senior match in São Paulo before remaining in the city to complete its own training and match schedule. That proximity affords shared environmental acclimation and an opportunity for younger players to observe senior-game preparations against the same host country that will stage matches during the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This logistical coordination reflects a longer-term plan to expose top American players to hosting environments and competitive conditions they are likely to encounter in the World Cup cycle. The U-23 fixtures against Corinthians provide match minutes against a club that has recently tested itself at continental level and finished high in domestic competition.
The camp’s outcomes will inform selection decisions and identify players ready for deeper integration into the senior program as the U.S. builds depth ahead of major tournaments. Coaching staff will use training sessions and the two friendlies to evaluate positional versatility, tactical understanding and match temperament.
This São Paulo training camp highlights the U.S. Soccer Federation’s continuing investment in the U-23 pathway as a key component of player development and roster sustainability.
