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From September 5-27th, the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team will try to win the 2026 FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup for the first time since 2012.
First-year head coach Vicky Jenson’s 21 player roster will head to Poland, consisting of 13 college and eight NWSL players. For these athletes, each pass, shot, and save could be the difference between winning gold or an early exit.
When asked about the variety of experience on her roster, Jenson told reporters, “We have selected a special group of players who bring a broad and diverse range of qualities from both the college and professional game. One thing we all have in common is the understanding that it takes everyone to win a World Cup.”
Mindset is everything for this team. The U.S. will inevitably face times when things don’t go their way. In those moments, they will need to lean on each other to succeed and trust that their teammate has prepared herself to fight back against the challenges.
“We have selected a special group of players who bring a broad and diverse range of qualities from both the college and professional game. One thing we all have in common is the understanding that it takes everyone to win a World Cup.”
As this team begins their journey, certain players have specifically prepared themselves for those moments. Here are five must-watch players on the U.S. team and their mindsets when preparing for the world’s stage:
Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC)
In her third professional season in the NWSL, Kennedy Fuller is ready to win another trophy on the international stage. She won the Silver Boot in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the Golden Boot in the 2024 Concacaf U-17 Championship, and the Golden Ball in the 2022 Concacaf U-15 Championship.
Fuller talks a lot about the team’s response since their exit in the semifinals of last year’s Concacaf U-20 Championship. When asked about the effect that tournament had on their road to the World Cup, she told reporters in May, “It lit a fire under us. Even if we don't win, we want to be hard to beat.” Now one year later, Fuller and the U.S. team are ready to make this statement true as they begin their search for gold.
Sealey Strawn (University of North Carolina)
The freshman UNC forward Sealey Strawn is no stranger to playing against all levels of athletes. The Texas native trained at Solar SC and played for the USL Super League Dallas Trinity at the same time. She earned the 2024/25 USL Super League Young Player of the Year and three U-19 USWNT call-ups.
Strawn acknowledges that she will face players who may be stronger, faster, or have more experience than her in this tournament, but she’s not letting that limit her own skill. When asked about how she’s prepared to play, she told VIS, “I’m coming into this with the confidence that I’ve trained and done the little things to better myself to help the team succeed.”
“I’m coming into this with the confidence that I’ve trained and done the little things to better myself to help the team succeed.”
Audrey McKeen (Racing Louisville)
At 17 years old, Audrey McKeen is the youngest player on this roster. She’s playing her first professional season with Racing Louisville and became the youngest goal scorer in club history after her first NWSL goal on August 7th.
Because of her age, McKeen will still be eligible for the 2028 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, in addition to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Even though there are many possibilities that could unfold, McKeen told VIS that this tournament is not about planning the future. She explained to us, “For me, it’s about enjoying the opportunity, trusting myself, and using the experience to grow and become a better player long after the tournament is over.”
Linda Ullmark (Houston Dash)
Continuing where she left off at UNC, Linda Ullmark has been a stellar chance creator and goal scorer in her rookie season with the Houston Dash. She started all 22 games, scored three goals and had three assists, and was named the NWSL Rookie of the Month for July. On this U.S. roster, she leads the team as one of the top international goal scorers with 6 goals in her seven U-20 caps, including four goals this year.
The midfielder has been praised for her sharp shooting, quick decision-making, and above all, her passion. “I’m really competitive,” Ullmark said. “I like to work behind the ball. I love to score [and] create. I just have that hunger and desire to score goals for the team and win.” For this U.S. team to succeed, they’ll need Ullmark to be at the top of her game, both in scoring and creating plays.
Emari Adames (Seattle Reign)
With 17 international games played, Seattle Reign’s forward Emeri Adames is entering her third FIFA World Cup as the most experienced player on the roster. She is one of two players—the other being her teammate Caroline Birkel—who played in the 2024 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Colombia, and the only one to have played in the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
As a seasoned veteran for the U.S. Youth National team, her leadership is vital to this team’s success. Her teammates will look to her for her skill, composure, and grit, and Adames is ready to share her knowledge. She told Seattle Reign reporters, “Last World Cup, I was playing so many years up…[Now,] I have a bit of a different role because I’m more of a leader now. I’m really excited.”
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Playing against some of the top talent in the world, each of these players will need to be at their best individually as well as work together as a team to succeed. As Strawn puts it, “A team in unison that is focused on bringing their best to the field can out work any individual skill.”
As you watch, keep an eye out for these five U.S. stars, and see how the mix of their experience and skill could lead the U20 USWNT to gold!
