The 2020 edition of the SheBelieves Cup, which is hosted by the United States Women’s National Team, officially gets underway on Thursday, March 5th. Rosters for the four participating teams – the USWNT, England, Japan, and first-timer Spain – have all been announced.
In the United States, all USWNT matches will be shown live on ESPN channels, while the non-USA matches will be available via ESPN’s streaming platforms.
NEWS UPDATES:
- On February 26th, England announced that outside back Lucy Bronze has been withdrawn due to a calf injury.
- On March 1st, Japan announced that forward Rikako Kobayashi has been withdrawn due to an unspecified injury.
- On March 2nd, Spain withdrew Nahikari García, replacing her with Alba Redondo (EFE).
A topic that may come up during the broadcasts of Japan’s matches is the country’s proposed professional women’s league. Here is a summary of what is known about that league (as of mid-February).
USA TV/Streaming Schedule
All non-USWNT matches will be streamed live by ESPN via ESPN.com/watch and their mobile apps. The three USWNT matches will also be shown live on on ESPN cable networks, as well as TUDN (in Spanish). Unfortunately, the final match, versus Japan, will not be one of ESPN’s main channels, as it will be shown on ESPNews.
Kick-off times are 8 minutes after the starting broadcast times (jfa.jp).
Thursday, March 5th – Orlando, Fla.
Spain vs. Japan – 4:15 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
USWNT vs. England – 7:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2, TUDN)
Sunday, March 8th – Harrison, N.J.
Japan vs. England – 2:15 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
USWNT vs. Spain – 5:00 p.m. ET (ESPN, TUDN)
Wednesday, March 11th – Frisco, Texas
England vs. Spain – 5:15 p.m. ET (ESPN3)
USWNT vs. Japan – 8:00 p.m. ET (ESPNews, TUDN)
Rosters
Summary of Late Changes:
- USWNT: n/a
- England: Lucy Bronze OUT, Alessia Russo IN (26-Feb-2020)
- Japan: Rikako Kobayashi OUT, Riko Ueki IN (01-Mar-2020)
- Spain: n/a
USWNT
The USA’s SBC roster consists of all 20 players from Olympic qualifying, plus defender Tierna Davidson, forward Mallory Pugh, and outside back Casey Short. From the pre-tournament training camp roster, goalkeeper Jane Campbell, outside back candidate Margaret Purce, and midfielder Jordan DiBiasi were cut.
England
Star right-back Lucy Bronze is a late scratch due to a calf injury. Uncapped training player Alessia Russo, who plays collegiately for North Carolina, has been upgraded to England’s SBC squad. (Full write-up on England’s roster)
Japan
On Sunday, the JFA announced that forward Rikako Kobayashi has been withdrawn due to an unspecified injury. Riko Ueko, who attended Japan’s recent domestic camp, but did not initially make their SBC roster, has been recalled to replace Kobayashi. (See the updated article on Japan’s domestic camp for more on their SBC roster.)
Spain
Spain has not announced any changes for their roster. They continue to be without midfielder Vicky Losada, who previously suffered a hamstring injury and is now recovering from an Achilles tendon injury. (Full write-up on Spain’s roster)
On March 2nd, Spain withdrew Nahikari García, who has a lingering foot injury issue, replacing her with Alba Redondo (EFE).
Women's Soccer Express 