The United States will try to win its first under-20 Women's World Cup since 2012 next month without several of its biggest age-eligible stars, and while manager Vicky Jepson called their absence "upsetting" she expressed faith in the players on the roster.
Jepson named her 21-player roster for next month's tournament in Poland on Wednesday, including eight professional players. But among the notable absentees were midfielders Claire Hutton, Lily Yohannes and Kimmi Ascanio, and defender Jordyn Bugg.
Hutton, Ascanio and Bugg all play in the NWSL, which is in the thick of its regular season. Yohannes plays for French power OL Lyonnes.
The U20 Women's World Cup, like all youth tournaments, is not part of official FIFA windows during which clubs are required to release players.
"Of course we would love Lily to come and play in this squad as well as Claire, as well as Jordyn," Jepson told reporters. "But ultimately, the main focus now is the players that are released, the players are that are coming, because I think that we have enough quality within this squad."
When asked if there was any tension between the federation and NWSL clubs over the release of players, Jepson took the high road, but acknowledged that on a certain level, omitting a player because of their clubs was difficult.
"We've had a lot of clubs that have released, which is fantastic with the relationship," Jepson said in relation to NWSL clubs. "We want to try and avoid players being stuck in the middle. What's sad sometimes is when a player is desperate to represent their country and they're not being released, that's something we can't control.
"There's definitely a good relationship across the NWSL with the clubs, that's for sure. But it's hard. We can't force a club to release a player. We have to respect that."
Jepson added: "I worked with players for 10 months and prepared them for a World Cup and they're not released. That is upsetting for me because of the athlete that misses out. But the focus turns to those that can go, and they are delighted to go and well-equipped to compete and be ready when called upon."
Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller is one of eight NWSL players on the U20 roster and the standout among the group heading to Poland for the competition. Fuller has worn the captain's armband several times for the U20s.
Hutton also plays for Bay FC but is not part of Jepson's roster despite being eligible to play.
Eight of 21 players are professional in the NWSL, while the other 13 play in the U.S. college system. Senior USWNT head coach Emma Hayes told ESPN earlier this month that the U20 World Cup is a crucial part of player development to get players ready for senior World Cups, and that she believes the U.S. is lagging at the youth level.
"When I speak about this subject, I am sending a warning sign that I am worried," Hayes told ESPN. "I am massively worried about the direction for and the lack of all of those experiences for American players."
The United States opens up the U20 World Cup on Sept. 9 against Italy, then continues the group stage against Japan on Sept. 9 and New Zealand on Sept. 12. The U.S. has not won a U20 World Cup since 2012.
There are no San Diego Wave players on the USWNT U20 roster. Ascanio, a creative midfielder who has been compared to U.S. great Tobin Heath (even by Heath), is a glaring absence. So is forward Melanie Barcenas, who has four goals in a breakout season for the Wave.
Jepson said that for those players left out, it's important to keep growing with their clubs.
"We feel that regardless, you're not able to come with us, but please make sure that you go and shine at your club in the NWSL because some of these players that aren't released have got high potential of making it to the women's national team," Jepson said.
"So they can't be stuck in the emotions of something that they can't control. They've got to concentrate on still being the best version of themselves at club. And we will never hold it against them that they've not been able to come with us because we know it's not their choice."
Yohannes' club OL Lyonnes is about to begin its new season. The 19-year-old has not played at a youth World Cup after spending time with both the U.S. and Dutch youth national teams before committing to the U.S. Yohannes now has 20 career senior international caps.
Hutton also has 20 senior caps and, like Yohannes, is expected to play a significant role for the U.S. at next year's World Cup in Brazil.
But Hayes has stressed throughout her tenure that she believes some young players may need to oscillate between the senior team and youth teams for their long-term development. She has previously used Bugg as an example for that. Bugg has six senior caps.
Seattle Reign FC coach Laura Harvey, Bugg's club coach, said last week that she has always had "the same ethos" about the value of youth World Cups, but she doesn't believe that players need to experience them multiple times.
Harvey cited the example of Bugg, who played for the United States at the 2024 U20 World Cup, where the Americans finished third, their best showing since winning the biennial competition in 2012.
"It's difficult because the tournament doesn't fall in FIFA dates, so you're trying to manage, for us, in the way that our calendar falls, potentially losing big players in your team in a really crucial part of the season," Harvey said, adding that each individual player has a different situation. Seattle did release forward Emeri Adames, midfielder Ainsley McCammon and goalkeeper Evan O'Steen for this competition.
Hayes told ESPN that Spain's rapid progression in women's soccer can be directly linked to their valuation of youth international experience. Spain dominated European and global youth competitions in the decade leading up to their first senior World Cup title in 2023.
"The exposures a Spanish player is getting for high level, high quality, high international standard football is significantly higher than that of players in our country," Hayes said.
Hayes said that she will be in Poland for the tournament to scout players.
There has been ongoing uncertainty about the U20 World Cup being played due to UEFA's stance of boycotting FIFA events, but the Polish federation said the tournament would go on as scheduled and several European teams have individually said that their teams will participate.
2026 FIFA U.S. Under-20 Women's World Cup Roster by Position (College or Club; Hometown; U-20 Caps/Goals)
Goalkeepers (3): Caroline Birkel (Stanford; St. Louis, Mo.; 6), Evan O'Steen (Seattle Reign FC; Grapevine, Texas; 2), Kealey Titmuss (Penn State; Grand Blanc, Mich.; 5)
Defenders (7): Aven Alvarez (UNC; New Hill, N.C.; 12/0), Ella Bard (Louisville; Wadsworth, Ohio; 6/0), Lizzie Boamah (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.; 6/0), Pearl Cecil (Virginia; Encinitas, Calif.; 2/0), Emma Johnson (Penn State; Greenfield, Ind.; 9/1), Hope Munson (UNC; Holladay, Utah; 6/0), Katie Scott (Kansas City Current; Fairview, Pa.; 11/1)
Midfielders (6): Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC; Southlake, Texas; 8/2), Lily Joseph (Notre Dame; Hamden, Conn; 2/0), Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign FC; Bedford, Texas; 6/0), Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford; Fairfax, Va.; 5/0), Nyanya Touray (Florida State; Silver Spring, Md.; 4/0), Linda Ullmark (Houston Dash; Buffalo, N.Y.; 7/6)
Forwards (5): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign FC; Red Oak, Texas; 4/1), Alex Buck (Washington; Medina, Wash.; 6/1), Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC; Troy, Mich; 4/2), Audrey McKeen (Racing Louisville FC; Vienna, Va.; 2/0), Sealey Strawn (UNC; Prosper, Texas; 2/0)
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.
