One last audition before SheBelieves Cup: Five keys as Emma Hayes’ USWNT face Chile

The U.S. Women’s National Team doesn’t get much time to breathe this January. Just days after a dominant 6-0 win over Paraguay, Emma Hayes’ squad is back on the field Tuesday night in Santa Barbara, facing Chile with minimal preparation and even fewer certainties. That’s exactly the point.

With just one training session between matches, the second game of January camp is less about polishing and more about learning - who adapts quickly, who handles new roles, and who forces their way into Hayes’ long-term plans as the program builds toward a crowded 2026 and, ultimately, the 2027 World Cup.

Chile presents a familiar opponent but a different challenge. The two sides last met at the 2019 World Cup, when the USWNT secured a controlled 3-0 group-stage win. Tuesday’s meeting, however, comes in a very different context, with a young, NWSL-heavy roster and several players still waiting for their first senior cap - an opportunity Hayes has shown she’s more than willing to hand out.

GOAL looks at five keys ahead of USWNT vs. Chile...