In addition to two friendly victories against Paraguay and Chile, the recent January camp provided Emma Hayes with the opportunity to bring several new faces into the fold, a practice that has become the norm. Players are gaining familiarity with the senior level and also picking up their debut caps, with a few even impacting the final scoreline. Progressing in her development, Riley Jackson was one of the exciting new inclusions and took advantage by registering an assist in the latter fixture.
The 20-year-old North Carolina Courage midfielder is already several seasons into her professional career and should continue to impress.
Raised in Roswell, Georgia, Jackson competed with Roswell Santos SC before joining Concorde Fire in the Elite Clubs National League, establishing herself as a player who “glides over the field” with “skills and vision [that] ooze a high soccer IQ.” She received the 2021 Southeast Conference Player of the Year and the 2022 National Player of the Year awards, also winning a national title. At the high school level, the midfielder competed with Blessed Trinity Catholic, compiled 36 goals and 48 assists, and was named the Class AAAAA State Player of the Year and the Gatorade Georgia and National Player of the Year as a sophomore after leading her school to the state semifinals.
“Riley Jackson is that rare player who can influence the outcome of the game without showing up on the scoresheet,” noted J.R. Eskilson. “She’s one of the best passers in high school soccer, identifying through-ball channels that few players can envision, and she has the skill to put those passes into tight windows. She also has the elegance on the ball to make everything look effortless, but there is so much sophistication in how she approaches the game. That’s what really makes her great. What’s more, she’s a wall defensively, and dictates where the game is played on the pitch with her challenges and instincts for stepping in front of passes.”
Despite committing to Duke University, Jackson trained with North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022, displaying a high level of talent and gelling with the squad. Making “the hardest decision of her life,” she signed a two-and-a-half-year professional contract the following summer (with a team option for an additional season), with “no rush” for her timeline to break into the squad. Postponing her introduction to the match-day squad, the club placed her on 45-day injured reserve due to a right-foot injury.
Healthy and ready to contribute in 2024, Jackson made her professional debut in an early 5-1 victory against the Houston Dash. Her first finish came against Racing Louisville in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup, tying proceedings in stoppage time with a long-range finish. All told, she concluded the schedule with 22 total appearances as the club fell in the playoff quarterfinal, showing signs of someday becoming “one of the best midfielders in the league.”
Taking a big step forward, Jackson opened last season with a goal in a 1-1 draw with Racing Louisville. In what was described as a “breakout campaign,” she started in 23 of her 25 appearances and contributed two finishes and an assist as North Carolina was left out of the postseason. In light of her performances, the club signed her to a contract extension through 2028, viewing her as a “world-class talent” with the ability to “cope with the intensity of the NWSL and thrive due to her work ethic and desire.”
Despite her early success, adapting to and developing in the professional game is an ongoing process. “Learning from mistakes is really important, especially being young,” Jackson shared with the Good Follow podcast. “I don’t use being young as an excuse for anything. I don’t think that’s valid. I think everyone should be on the same playing field, no matter their age. But I think it is important to give myself some grace [while] learning and growing as a player.”
At the international level, Jackson began receiving call-ups for the United States in the Under-15 age group and served as captain at the 2022 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship, leading her squad to the title and winning the Golden Ball with two goals and three assists. She registered two assists at the ensuing U-17 World Cup as the team lost to Nigeria in the quarterfinal round. Her performance at the 2024 U-20 World Cup helped clinch a third-place finish.
In January of 2025, Jackson was named to the Futures Camp and was part of all five Under-23 gatherings. She received her first senior call-up in January and picked up her debut in the 5-0 rout of Chile, assisting on Trinity Rodman’s finish after receiving in the center and “curling a pass” out wide to set up the goal. Her “perfectly fine showing,” which included almost scoring on a header, drew solid ratings from USA Today and Goal.
Standing at five feet, eight inches tall, Jackson (a perfectionist with “superb technical skills”) is a “possession-oriented” defensive and box-to-box midfielder who takes a highly active role during the build-up with accurate passing, particularly at long range, and regular dribbling, using “her vision to make things happen.” She is skilled at disrupting the opponent’s advances and displays “awareness without the ball,” bringing “energy and tempo.” Her steady and consistent presence is a result of forcing herself into the game with constant checking runs to make herself available to teammates before scanning and assessing her options.
“I think her best quality is the ability to play quick and decisive football,” observed Bridie O’Toole of Busy Watching Women’s Soccer. “She’s got really nice technique on [diagonal balls]. … She keeps the pace and the tempo of things moving. … Jackson also has elite defensive awareness. Even if she is the person to create the turnover, she is very quick to recognize that the game is transitioning.”
The lead-up to major competitions can often be more exciting than the tournaments themselves, as the journey builds excitement and inspires hope for future glories. Jackson enters the national team picture at an interesting time, although her true introduction is likely to come during the following World Cup cycle. She has been a high performer who proved herself at the academy and youth international levels, delivering on the promise of her potential.
