Way-Too-Early USWNT Starting XI for the 2027 Women’s World Cup

Naomi Girma is an etched-in-pen starter for the United States.

After being the USWNT’s only real bright spot at the 2023 World Cup, she was nearly flawless in France. She had a hiccup or two against Brazil, but more than made up for her brief lapses with *gestures at everything else she did this summer.*

Girma is the first name on the U.S. team sheet and will be a starter at center back come 2027.

Next to Girma, Tierna Davidson is still the safe bet to win the other starting center back job. She started next to Girma at the Olympics, will be 28 when the World Cup begins and has been favored by Hayes over Sam Staab and Emily Sams.

She has a solid blend of one-on-one defending and clever passing. Davidson is my pick for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone sneaks in to snag her spot over the next few years.

Looking to the right back spot, Emily Fox isn’t a perfectly well-rounded player given some of her struggles in possession. But she was an asset throughout the Olympics and there aren’t any younger challengers really pushing her on the depth chart.

Like the other members of the U.S. backline, it’s entirely possible Crystal Dunn retains her spot at left back after winning the job in the team’s pre-Olympic friendlies.

However, a shakeup that leads to Jenna Nighswonger starting over Dunn, who will be 34 when the World Cup starts, is my bet here.

Nighswonger is more of a true width-provider on the left than Dunn, which seems to align with Hayes’ preferences for her left back. With more time to plan ahead of 2027, Dunn could be shifted inside and her Gotham teammate could move into the starting left back role.