Sophia Wilson, Tierna Davidson make USWNT return for Japan friendlies

Commerce City, Colo. — The U.S. women’s national team will welcome back two of its most decorated players next month, as Sophia Wilson and Tierna Davidson have been named to Emma Hayes’ 26-player roster for a trio of friendlies against Japan, U.S. Soccer announced Tuesday.

Wilson, the dynamic Portland Thorns forward formerly known as Sophia Smith, will make her first appearance with the senior side in 15 months after stepping away for the birth of her daughter last September. The 25-year-old, part of the famed “Triple Espresso” attacking trio, has already logged full 90-minute shifts for the Thorns in the early weeks of the 2026 NWSL campaign. Should she see the field against Japan, Wilson will become the 18th mother to earn a USWNT cap and, if she finds the net, the ninth to score for the program as a mom.

Davidson’s path back has been equally arduous. The 27-year-old defender tore an ACL on the opening weekend of the 2025 NWSL season and has spent the past 13 months rehabilitating. She marked her return to club action in Gotham FC’s Match Week 2 victory and now slots straight back into a U.S. back line that values her versatility and composure on the ball.

“As our team continues to evolve, it will be great to welcome back Sophia and Tierna, who are not only great players but also contribute positively to our team environment,” Hayes said in the official roster release.

The squad, which features 19 NWSL-based players and seven plying their trade in Europe, is the second in Hayes’ tenure to contain zero uncapped players, underscoring the increasing experience within the group. The average player enters the Japan series with 37.4 national-team appearances, a notable jump from recent windows.

Veteran Houston Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell also returns to the fold, earning her first call-up since she started in the Americans’ 2-1 loss to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup finale on Feb. 26. Kansas City Current forward Michelle Cooper, 23, makes her first roster of 2026 after overcoming injuries that sidelined her for the better part of a year.

The three-match set opens April 11 at PayPal Park in San Jose, where Bay FC midfielder Claire Hutton will enjoy a homecoming. The teams then shift to Lumen Field in Seattle on April 14, allowing Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey a familiar setting, before concluding April 17 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. Japan arrives in form, having captured the 2026 Asian Cup on March 21 with a 1-0 win over Australia and secured qualification for the 2027 World Cup.

“Japan is undoubtedly one of the top teams in the world, and they are performing at a very high level coming off their Asian Cup title,” Hayes said. “Playing the same country three times in a row, and especially a team that is as dedicated to their style as Japan, will be a massive test for our team.”

The April window marks the final international matches for the U.S. before the summer’s Concacaf Women’s Championship and offers Hayes a chance to evaluate her evolving core against an opponent that bested the Americans just seven weeks ago.

Tickets for all three fixtures are on sale via U.S. Soccer and host-team channels.