In the aftermath of the retirement of legends Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, the USWNT will play a pair of friendlies against South American opponents Colombia.
Ranked 22nd in the world by FIFA, Colombia will provide a solid test for the United States across the two matches, having progressed further than the U.S. in the most recent Women's World Cup. Colombia reached the quarterfinals of this past summer's FIFA tournament, topping Jamaica in the Round of 16 before falling to eventual finalists England by a 2-1 score.
The U.S. remain without a long-term head coach. Twila Kilgore leads the team on an interim basis, while sporting director Matt Crocker continues the search to find a permanent replacement for Vlatko Andonovski.
With the page turned to the 2024 Olympics and the 2027 Women's World Cup, the USWNT will be tested in these friendlies, first meeting in Sandy, Utah on October 26 followed by another matchup in San Diego on October 29.
MORE: All about USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore
USWNT roster for October friendlies vs Colombia
Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan headline a relatively inexperienced USWNT roster for these two matches.
Interim head coach Twila Kilgore wants the young team to embrace their chance to impress and enjoy the experience. "This is just about exposure for these players," Kilgore said in her pre-match press conference ahead of the first friendly. "Teaching, learning, and obviously competing, whether it's in training or in games. It's about a long-term process. It's not about the immediate; it's about the future."
USWNT roster for October friendlies
| Pos | Name | Club | Caps | Goals |
| GK | Aubrey Kingsbury | Washington Spirit | 1 | 0 |
| GK | Casey Murphy | NC Courage | 15 | 0 |
| GK | Alyssa Naeher | Chicago Red Stars | 96 | 0 |
| DEF | Alana Cook | OL Reign | 27 | 1 |
| DEF | Crystal Dunn | Portland Thorns | 138 | 24 |
| DEF | Emily Fox | NC Courage | 35 | 1 |
| DEF | Naomi Girma | San Diego Wave | 22 | 0 |
| DEF | Sofia Huerta | OL Reign | 31 | 0 |
| DEF | Casey Krueger | Chicago Red Stars | 40 | 0 |
| DEF | Becky Sauerbrunn | Portland Thorns | 216 | 0 |
| DEF | Emily Sonnett | OL Reign | 79 | 2 |
| DEF | MA Vignola | Angel City | 1 | 0 |
| MID | Sam Coffey | Portland Thorns | 4 | 0 |
| MID | Savannah DeMelo | Racing Louisville | 4 | 0 |
| MID | Lindsey Horan | Lyon (FRA) | 135 | 29 |
| MID | Olivia Moultrie | Portland Thorns | 0 | 0 |
| MID | Ashley Sanchez | Washington Spirit | 26 | 3 |
| MID | Andi Sullivan | Washington Spirit | 51 | 3 |
| FWD | Mia Fishel | Chelsea FC (ENG) | 1 | 0 |
| FWD | Ashley Hatch | Washington Spirit | 20 | 5 |
| FWD | Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave | 213 | 121 |
| FWD | Midge Purce | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 24 | 4 |
| FWD | Trinity Rodman | Washington Spirit | 24 | 6 |
| FWD | Jaedyn Shaw | San Diego Wave | 0 | 0 |
| FWD | Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns | 34 | 14 |
| FWD | Alyssa Thompson | Angel City | 7 | 0 |
| FWD | Lynn Williams | NJ/NY Gotham FC | 57 | 17 |
Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan lead inexperienced roster
Just four players boast over 100 caps on the USWNT roster for the pair of October friendlies.
Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan, the two co-captains at the 2023 Women's World Cup, are two of those players, and they are joined by Becky Sauerbrunn and Crystal Dunn. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has 96, just four off that triple-digit milestone, but below her, only Emily Sonnett's 79 caps put anyone else over 60.
Two uncapped players are called in, as forward Jaedyn Shaw and midfielder Olivia Moultrie are given a look, while Mia Fishel is back after making her USWNT debut last month, and same for unheralded defender M.A. Vignola.
Becky Sauerbrunn returns to USWNT after missing World Cup
Emotional leader Becky Sauerbrunn left a void in the USWNT squad at the 2023 Women's World Cup that may have partially contributed to their early exit.
While Sauerbrunn, now 28 years old, is on the last leg of her career and isn't the same lockdown defender she once was, her presence within the squad is of critical importance.
Now returned from her foot injury that kept her out of the summer tournament in Australia and New Zealand, Sauerbrunn will play her part in bringing along the new players and being a cornerstone of the transition into the national team's next phase.
USWNT permanent head coach hire 'close'
According to Becky Sauerbrunn, a new permanent head coach of the U.S. women's national team will be hired soon.
Sauerbrunn told media during the pre-match press conference that an appointment was "close" with a deadline of December likely.
"We're getting close and I think that they've got a few candidates that they're very excited about," Sauerbrunn said. She clarified that, while the players don't know who most, or any, of the candidates are by name, she and the rest of the veterans have been "updated periodically about where they are in the process".
