The 2026 CONCACAF W Championship loomslarge on the horizon, with four spots at the 2027 World Cup to be awarded at the competition. A challenge of such importance requires equal and perhaps even greater preparations, and the vaunted U.S. Soccer schedule makers delivered quite the opponent. Emma Hayes will be leading her squad into two friendlies against the current number-one ranked team and reigning world champions, Spain. The first fixture is scheduledfor Audi Field in Washington, D.C., a 20,000-seat
soccer-specific stadiumwith a Bermuda grass field; Subaru Park – an 18,500-seat venue in Chester, Pennsylvania with premiumTahoma 31 Bermuda sod – hosts the latter game.
These are the fifth and sixth meetings between the two nations, with the USWNT holding a 3-1-0 advantage but dropping the most recent match, an October 2022 friendly (0-2). Ranked first internationallyby FIFA, Spain had a strong and almost storybook 2025, falling in penalties to England (1-1 [1-3]) in the Euro final and claiming the UEFA Women’s Nations League Finals with victories over Sweden (5-0) and Germany (3-0). This year, La Roja (The Red One) eked out a first-place finish on goal differential in UEFA’s challenging Group A3 of World Cup qualifying, topping England (0-1, 4-0), Iceland (3-0, 6-1), and Ukraine (3-1, 5-0) to secure a spot in Brazil.
After the federation elected against renewingthe contract of Montse Tomé, Sonia “Soni” Bermúdez was appointed to the managerposition in September of last year, bringing experience leading the country’s Under-19, Under-20, and Under-23 sides and winning the 2023 and 2024 UEFA Under-19 Championships. The 41-year-old retired forward had a long career that spanned two decades and included 35 finishes in 63 international caps. She turned the already formidable group into an “impeccable” squad with a ferocious and exciting attack.
Bermúdez initially nameda 25-player roster for the pair of friendlies. Liga F is home to 12 of the call-ups, while nine compete in the Women’s Super League and one is on the books of the National Women’s Soccer League. Notable absences include Olga Carmona, Jana Fernández, Esther González, Inma Gabarro, Aitana Bonmatí, Leila Ouahabi, and Lucía García. Vicky López, Mariona Caldentey, and Cata Coll withdrewand were replacedby Alba Redondo, Natalia Ramos, andEunate Astralaga.
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GOALKEEPERS (3): Misa Rodríguez (Arsenal), Adriana Nanclares (Athletic Bilbao), Eunate Astralaga (Athletic Bilbao)
DEFENDERS (7): Irene Paredes (Barcelona), Ona Batlle (Arsenal), Mapi León (London City Lionesses), Oihane Hernández (Orlando Pride), Laia Codina (West Ham United), María Méndez (Real Madrid), Andrea Medina (Manchester United)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses), Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid), Eva Navarro (Real Madrid), Fiamma Benítez (Atlético Madrid), Lucía Corrales (London City Lionesses), Clara Serrajordi (Barcelona), Ornella Vignola (Everton), Clara Pinedo (Athletic Bilbao), Natalia Ramos (Liverpool)
FORWARDS (5): Salma Paralluelo (OL Lyonnes), Clàudia Pina (Barcelona), Edna Imade (Bayern Munich), Ainhoa Marín (Real Sociedad), Alba Redondo (Juventus)
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Bermúdez lines up her squadin the traditional compact Spain 4-3-3 formation, “moving the ball with speed and precision” while also relyingon “standout performances from individual players, particularly in midfield.” As with most high-pressing sides, the focus is in “directing opponents out wide,” with the desireto “quickly play the ball behind” after forcing a turnover. The intention is to keep the ball as much as possible and dominate possession, but the tactics can and will shift if the situation requires more direct play, typically vertical one-two combinations.
Athletic Club’s Adriana Nanclares displaysan active and springy style that enables her to sprawl for impressive acrobatic blocks and adjust to short-distance chances and last-second deflections. She has solid footwork, makes very few costly errors that lead to goals, is quick to come off of her line in order to meet attackers, and is highly active during the build-up phase. Misa Rodríguez of Arsenal was oneof the most reliable passers in La Liga last season before making the jump to England and has a willingness to venture very far off her line to act as a sweeper. The Palmense should get a chanceto stake her claim as the number one after ending up on the previous manager’s bad side due to reported “bad behavior after the Olympic Games.”
Mapi León is praisedas “crucial in terms of defensive decision-making” by “knowing how and when to resort to tackles, when to intercept passes, and when to commit fouls.” The 31-year-old London City Lionesses centre-back can also deploy on the outside, has the pace to go step for step with attackers, constantly sacrifices for blocks, and can be physical. Barcelona’s Irene Paredes has the ability to play exquisite passes that create chances, throws herself into challenges without a second’s hesitation, and soars through the air for headers. She takes control during the build-up with intelligent decision-making while under pressure and uses her five-ten frame to stab the ball away from opponents and make an impact on set pieces. The “fundamental” María Méndez of Real Madrid is another strongoption when given the keys to take chargein possession and is accustomed to hitting long-distance distribution. The Oviedan is “solid, fast to cut, forceful in duels, and with a great capacity to play with the ball,” having established herself as a leader on the field and in the locker room. Laia Codina jumpedfrom Arsenal to West Ham over the summer and describes herself as an “aggressive player” who “likes duels” and displays composure in heated moments. Total Football Analysis notesher “excellent footwork” and positioning as a sweeper, while another scouting report pointsto her “speed and agility” as well as a balance that enables her to adjust her body.
Lucía Corrales of London City Lionesses is typically a winger at the club level but drops back in the formation for Spain, adding another front-foot attacking option to overlap on the outside. She is capable of shutting down opponents in the one-on-one, rises to win headers, looks to play quick combinations to work out of pressure, and pushes high up the field to force turnovers. Ona Batlle has workedhard to improve her crossing, is quick to the ball, and attempts to “cut the line out,” whether stepping to a dribbler or making a crucial interception. The 27-year-old Arsenal fullback serves as a crucialoutlet during the build-up phase and will take several seconds to scan through options before making the correct pass. Eva Navarro plays wherever necessary for the team, roaming all over the field and buzzing aroundthe box with a devastating long-distance shot that forces out potential bunkers. With a shrewd touch and a tenacious style, her addition places another scoring presence in dangerous areas, with the mentality to pounce on chances and take advantage of loose scrambles. Oihane Hernández is in her second seasonwith the Orlando Pride, playing an outsized build-up role on the right side and serving as a regular chance creator. This appears to be her big chanceto return to the squad ahead of the major tournaments, ideally by continuing to make herself available to teammates and operate with vertical intentions.
Alexia Putellas has won two Ballon d’Or awards with goodreason and continues to be the protagonist for her country as a slicer and dicer of opponents and a creative force in the final third. The 32-year-old London City Lionesses midfielder “typically receives her ball with [her] back to goal” and can light up the scoreboard with an absolutely lethal left foot. Barcelona’s Patricia Guijarro can seemingly put the ball anywhere, able to play into the box from a deep-lying position by cutting through multiple lines of opponents. She will hit a quick one-touch over the top, use the space to assess her options, or even take advantage of an overcommitted defense by dribbling into the advanced zones. The “very complete and very balanced” Clara Serrajordi is one of the top young stars in the world, belying her inexperience by “adapting to any position” and demonstrating “a great understanding of the game.” The teenager has an unbelievable confidence to wind her way through traffic and open up new angles with her movement, dropping all the way back to receive and serve as an outlet. Fiamma Benítez glides aroundthe pitch and often finds herself right in front of the net with the ability to pounce on loose opportunities or make herself available for a one-touch conversion. The Dénian has a quick step and maintains her balance while dipping and darting through packed areas, advancing with solo ventures that can also open up lanes for forwards and wingers. Dual national Ornella Vignola picked up her senior international debut during World Cup qualifying, committing her future to Spain after an encouraging debut season with Everton that included a hat trick against Liverpool. The Uruguay-born all-rounder has a hardy nature with the impactof regaining possession, thriving in transition with vertical intention, seeing the entire field, and popping up in advantageous areas for a finish.
The left-footed Salma Paralluelo boasts“[blistering] pace and brilliant timing of runs” along with “a combination of neat footwork, solid ball-striking and unrivalled physical attributes,” the last a holdover from her decorated track career. The 22-year-old OL Lyonnes winger, who can also deploy centrally and convert crosses, has a way of drawing in the opponent with her settling touch before blowing past on the way to the net. Clàudia Pina is “a talented operator between the lines,” formingconnections in all zones and making “intelligent late runs” that put her in place to be a reliable goal scorer. The “relentless” attacker has a driving style and a willingness to absorb as much contact as necessary when coursing through a series of challenges, making the necessarysolo efforts to break down blocks. Athenea del Castillo of Real Madrid thrives when operating in isolation, taking advantage of the far side to go one-on-one with a fullback and using her cutbacks to push into the box. The Solares native can identify crucial pockets in which to make an impact, whether crafting moments of magic to register a shot or finding the trailing option with a centering play.
Edna Imade madeher Spain debut in 2025 and quickly became a key contributor, racking up four goals during qualifying and establishing herself as a lethal target player who reads the space and corrals possession. The 26-year-old Bayern Munich striker brings both thunder and lightning with a five-ten frame and “skillful speed” to get behind the opponent’s back line, waiting to unleash her powerful shot. Ainhoa Marín of Real Sociedad is the big new addition to the squad and should make her seniordebut against the USWNT, operating in a variety of positions and providing crucial linkage and progression work. She is solid in defensiveduels, uses her pace to get behind the opposing back line, and has the physical frame and low center of gravity to withstand challenges. Alba Redondo was initiallyleft out with a “very hard decision” due to the manager desiring a player at the nine who “guides pressure” and is “intense in duels,” although the Albacetian has registereddecent enough recovery numbers this season at Juventus. In addition to being a shrewd playmaker who can drop back into the ten, Total Football Analysis praisesher for “moving intelligently without the ball” and “exploiting the gaps within opposing defenses” due to her quickness and “very good sense of positioning, especially within the final third.”
The USWNT has the privilege of preparing for the CONCACAF W Championship with not one, but two friendlies against the current best team in the world. The stakes will be low, and both managers will take full advantage of the opportunity for tactical and lineup experimentation, but the short- and long-term benefits are clear. These two sides are likely to face off again, when a much bigger prize is on the line next summer in Brazil or the following in Los Angeles.
The first matchis scheduled for Saturday, October 10th at 2:30 p.m. Eastern, 11:30 a.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TBS, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo, and FuboTV (free trial).
The second matchis scheduled for Tuesday, October 13th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific. Viewing options include TNT, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock, and FuboTV (free trial).
