The 2026 SheBelieves Cup – the 11th iteration – concluded Saturday afternoon in Harrison, N.J., home of Gotham FC, with a local star playing a key role in helping the victorious USWNT secure the title. In fact, across the tournament’s four teams – United States, Canada, Colombia, and Argentina – 35 NWSL players played key roles for their national teams ahead of a busy and important year.
The U.S. Women’s National Team captured its eighth SheBelieves Cup title, finishing the tournament with a perfect nine points and a 1-0 win over Colombia in the final match. They reclaim the trophy after losing it to Japan, led by Utah forward Mina Tanaka, last season. The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute when Gotham’s Jaedyn Shaw made a perfect run-and-pass through traffic to Alyssa Thompson to secure the game and with the result, the trophy.
USWNT Dominance Powered by NWSL Talent
The United States once again showcased the depth of its player pool, much of which is built within the NWSL. A total of 19 NWSL players were called up to Emma Hayes’ USWNT side, which finished the tournament with three wins, four goals scored, and no goals conceded. All three results extend a defensive streak that has now reached 804 minutes without allowing a goal.
The tournament hosts were tested, however, particularly by a Colombian side that had an organized defense. But their control of matches, their ability to find decisive moments, and Hayes' asuste substitution choices all proved difference makers. Need proof? Sat/ winning goal perfectly illustrated all of those efforts and more.
The tournament also offered opportunities for emerging NWSL players such as Emma Sears, Maddie Dahlien, Claire Hutton, Riley Jackson, and Jameese Joseph. For a few of them, it was their debut SheBelieves Cup, but for all of them, their first tournament victories with the national team.
Emily Sonnett: The SheBelieves Cup Queen
Few players are as synonymous with the SheBelieves Cup as Gotham FC and USWNT defender Emily Sonnett. In fact, some fans (and Trinity Rodman) have begun calling for the tournament to be renamed the SonnettBelieves Cup.
With the 2026 victory, Sonnett now holds eighth SheBelieves Cup titles, becoming the sole holder of the record for most tournament wins by any player (previously she was tied with Alyssa Naeher who retired from international soccer last year). She has now appeared on all 11 U.S. rosters in the tournament’s history, a testament to a longevity and consistency that has defined her international career.
Her performance against Colombia was a stark reminder of that reliability. Sonnett produced a key defensive intervention in the first half, breaking up a dangerous Colombian attack inside the six-yard box before goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce secured the ball and she was a vital presence on the backline throughout the tournament, where the USWNT never allowed a goal.
In short, no one believes harder than Emily Sonnett.
The Return of Canada
While the United States lifted the trophy, Canada delivered a performance full of heart after entering the tournament not having scored since last summer.
Head coach Casey Stoney’s side opened the competition with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Colombia before narrowly falling to the United States. Canada closed its campaign with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Argentina after a scoreless draw. Safe to say, NWSL players were central to Canada’s success.
Kailen Sheridan (North Carolina Courage) anchored the team in goal, producing several key saves during the tournament and again in the shootout against Argentina. Captain Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns FC) converted one of Canada’s penalties in the decisive shootout and was a calm and collected presence on the field throughout the tournament. Janine Sonis (Denver Summit FC) had a brace against Colombia during the tournament’s opener and Bay FC duo Sydney Collins and Brooklyn Courtnall each had a memorable tournament, with Collins scoring her first international goal and Courtnall seeing her first cap and start during the window.
Canada ultimately finished second in the standings with five points, a promising sign as the team continues its rebuild under Stoney.
A Low-Scoring Tournament and Why That’s OK
The 2026 edition of the SheBelieves Cup was defined by tight defensive performances. Across the tournament’s six matches, goals were scarce. The United States scored just four times in three games, while Canada and Argentina played to a scoreless draw on the final day.
But the lack of goals also reflected a growing tactical maturity among the competing teams.
Colombia frustrated the United States with a compact defensive block. Argentina produced similarly organized defensive performances throughout the tournament, nearly stealing points against both Colombia and Canada.
For the United States, the tournament also demonstrated a growing ability to break down stubborn defenses, an issue that has famously plagued the team in the past. Hayes’ emphasis on building depth across the roster paid dividends, particularly when substitutes like Shaw provided decisive moments from the bench.
A Year Full of Important Matches
Beyond the trophy, the SheBelieves Cup offered teams an opportunity to get in meaningful minutes ahead of upcoming important qualification matches that dot the FIFA calendar the rest of the year. For the United States and Canada, the CONCACAF W Championship tournament is quickly approaching, which will determine qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (where the USWNT will already be qualified as the host nation team). The top four teams in the tournament will qualify directly for the World Cup, while Olympic qualification will also be determined through the competition. The United States enters that tournament as the three-time defending champion, having won the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions.
Meanwhile, Colombia and Argentina are competing in the inaugural CONMEBOL Women’s Nations League, which will determine South American qualification for the 2027 World Cup. The top two teams will qualify directly for the tournament, with two additional teams advancing to inter-confederation playoffs.
If the SheBelieves Cup offered any indication, NWSL players will again play a major role in shaping that road to qualification.
We Believe It’s Time for the 2026 NWSL Kickoff
From Claudia Dickey’s calm presence in goal, Janine Sonis’s goal scoring exploits, Jaedyn Shaw’s pinpoint assists, Kailen Sheridan’s penalty shootout heroics, and Aldana Cometti’s leadership in defense, the league is filled with the best players in the game. And now, with those players returning to their clubs, the focus now shifts back to the NWSL.
The 2026 NWSL season kicks off Friday, March 13 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video as the Washington Spirit host the Portland Thorns. The opener features the long-awaited return of Sophia Wilson, who is back on the pitch after missing the 2025 season on maternity leave. She’ll face off against fellow Triple Espresso star Trinity Rodman in a can’t-miss matchup to set the tone for the year.
