The United States U-20 women's national soccer team is a youth soccer team operated under the auspices of U.S. Soccer. Its primary role is the development of players in preparation for the senior women's national team. The team most recently appeared in the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, where they won bronze. The team competes in a variety of competitions, including the biennial FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, which is the top competition for this age group.
Contents
History
Beginnings as a U-18 program
The United States U-20 team has been active since 1998; however, it was run as a U-18 team from its inception until 2001. It was led by Shannon Higgins-Cirovski, the first coach in the team's history, through the middle of 1999 before she left for the Maryland Terrapins soccer team. Jay Hoffman, who served as Higgins-Cirovski's assistant, took charge of the team and led them to a gold medal for the 1999 Pan American Games, the first time the tournament was open to women's teams. Among the U-18 women playing at the 1999 Pan American Games were future senior national team members Cat Whitehill and Hope Solo.
The switch to U-19
In 2001, the United States Soccer Federation decided to change the age limit from the U-18 team to U-19. The move was in preparation for FIFA's introduction of the first ever FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship (which has since changed). The new U-19 squad won the inaugural 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Canada, where they beat the hosts on a golden goal by captain and future United States women's national team mainstay Lindsay Tarpley. Five other members of that same team would join Tarpley as teammates on the senior international team: Rachel Buehler, Lori Chalupny, Heather O'Reilly, Leslie Osborne and Angie Woznuk. Other notable 2002 team members were Kelly Wilson, the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the U-20 team, as well as two-time Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks, who would go on to become one of the most decorated players in women's collegiate soccer.
In 2004, the U-19 team placed third at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand, after having been defeated by Germany in the semifinals. The tournament marked the world championship debut of future senior national team members Yael Averbuch, Stephanie Lopez, Amy Rodriguez and Megan Rapinoe. However, in 2006, FIFA increased the age limit of the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship to 20. 2004 also saw the first loss to a similar-aged team in the history of the program when the squad lost to Japan.
Competing as a U-20 team
As the United States Soccer Federation did in 2001 prior to the introduction of the U-19 tournament, they raised the age of the squad from U-19 to U-20 in 2005. The move was, again, in response to FIFA's altering of the competition from U-19 to U-20. The actual team's play in 2005 was quiet due to a transition in coaches.
In 2006, the United States U-20 team played in a whopping 50 matches prior to the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship in Russia; however, the team finished in fourth place. The U.S. lost to China in penalties in the semifinal and followed up the loss with another to Brazil in the third-place match, also on penalties. Seven members of that 2006 team: Lauren Cheney, Christina DiMartino, Tobin Heath, Stephanie Lopez, Casey Nogueira, Kelley O'Hara and Amy Rodriguez, have made appearances for the senior national team. Lopez played in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, and, joined by Cheney, Heath and Rodriguez, also represented the United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Nogueira and O'Hara helped the 2008 U-20 team to qualify for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup that same year.
2007 saw the squad sent to the 2007 Pan American Games, just as they had done prior in the 1999 Pan American Games. This time around, the United States sent along two "over-aged players" in Lauren Cheney and Brittany Taylor. The decision proved costly as the supplemented U-20 team were dismantled in the finals, 5–0, to a full-strength Brazil squad.
In 2008, two years removed from the disastrous fourth-place finish at the 2006 U-20 World Championship, the United States U-20 women finally reclaimed the World Cup title at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile, with Sydney Leroux winning the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe for being named the best player of the tournament as well as scoring the most goals. Alex Morgan earned the Silver Shoe as the tournament's second-highest scorer and the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player behind teammate Leroux. To date, Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, Christine Nairn, Alyssa Naeher, and Meghan Klingenberg are the only members of the 2008 squad to be capped by the senior national team.
In 2009, Tony DiCicco handed the coaching reins back to Jill Ellis, who had coached the 2007 Pan American Games squad. 2009 also saw the influx of players who took part in the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup into the U-20s, including Kristen Mewis, US Soccer's 2008 Young Female Player of the Year, and Vicki DiMartino, younger sister of U-20 alumni Christina (2006) and Gina (2007–2008). Two members of the 2008 squad, Sydney Leroux and Christine Nairn, returned to captain the team through the next World Cup cycle.
Competitive record
FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
Pan American Games
The under-18 team participated and won the inaugural soccer tournament in the 1999 Pan American Games, while the under-20 team lost in the final of the 2007 Pan American Games, competing against full national teams. These opportunities are a consequence of holding the FIFA Women's World Cup in the same year as the Pan American Games.
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship
The U-20 women have won the CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship seven times, in 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2022; the 2002 tournament did not have a championship final. The U-20s finished as runners-up to Canada in 2004 and 2008 and to Mexico in 2018 and 2023. The U-20s fell to Canada at semifinals in 2025, the first time has not advanced to the title game of the tournament.
*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
Fixtures and results
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Legend
Win
Draw
Lose
Fixture
Players
Current squad
The following 24 players were named to the squad for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Caps and goals are updated to include September 9, 2026 after the match against Japan U-20.
Recent call-ups
The following players were named to a squad in the last 12 months.
June 2026 friendlies.
April 2026 friendlies.
February/March 2026 training camp.
November/December 2025 training camp and friendlies.
October 2025 training camp.
Player records
International match statistics, as of August 12, 2014. All goals scored in international matches only.
Players still eligible for the U-20 player pool in bold.
Coaches
Shannon Higgins-Cirovski (1998–1999)
Jay Hoffman (1999)
Steve Swanson (2000)
Tracey Leone (2001–2004)
Mark Krikorian (2004–2005)
Tim Schulz (2005–2006)
Jill Ellis (2007)
Tony DiCicco (2008)
Jill Ellis (2009–2010)
Dave Chesler (2010–2011)
Steve Swanson (2011–2012)
Michelle French (2013–2017)
Jitka Klimková (2017–2019)
Mark Carr (2019)
Laura Harvey (2020–2021)
Tracey Kevins (2021–2025)
Vicky Jepson (2025–)
Head-to-head record
The following table shows United States' head-to-head record in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.