The U.S. women’s national soccer team concluded its yearly January training camp with dominant wins against Paraguay and Chile, setting a robust foundation for the upcoming year.

Head coach Emma Hayes carefully charted the 2025 strategy, aiming for a comprehensive approach labeled the “WNT way”. This includes enhancing player evaluations, expanding the roster pool, and revitalizing the dormant U23 USWNT team, all directed at the 2026 objectives.

Set to enter World Cup qualifiers in November 2026 alongside the Concacaf W Championship, each camp is pivotal for finalizing the roster for this significant tournament as Hayes’s second year begins.

The January camps have built upon the previous year’s framework, featuring a mix of experienced players like Trinity Rodman and newer talents, with the latter aiming to create a competitive roster for 2026.

“It’s always about working backwards… Our job is to get the team in a position, come World Cup qualification, that we achieve what we set out to do,” said Hayes when discussing the preparation for 2026.

This year’s camp also serves as a platform for ongoing player assessments, gearing up for the SheBelieves Cup matches against Argentina, Canada, and Colombia next month.

Overall, Hayes highlighted the necessity of working in varying competitions to prepare for pressing challenges of the World Cup qualifiers, emphasizing that the journey toward qualification requires meticulous strategizing and player development.