USWNT vs. Ireland prediction, where to watch, live stream: Predicted lineups, pick, odds, how to watch

Summer is offically here, and the stakes are high for U.S. women’s national team players making their case to remain part of head coach Emma Hayes’ future plans. The USWNT are back in action and will face Ireland and Canada during a trio of friendlies. The Stars and Stripes will kick off their summer window against Ireland on Thursday at DSG Park in Commerce City, Colorado, and players will have a chance to show what they bring to the player pool.

Hayes named a 25-player roster for the upcoming matches with players returning from lengthy injuries, including Rose Lavelle and Croix Bethune, and several European-based players who are omitted for rest reasons. The lone exception, vice captain Naomi Girma, is back in the mix with the squad along with even more uncapped players — a common trend for Hayes’ time as manager, especially in 2025. 

The head coach has been vocal and transparent about utilizing this year for player evaluations ahead of the 2027-28 cycle. She has also been clear about a timeline to narrow down that expanded player pool ahead of next year’s Concacaf W Championship, which serves as the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers for the region. 

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Here are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:

How to watch and odds

• Date: Thurs. June 26 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: DSG Park — Commerce City, Colorado
• TV: TBS | Live stream: Max
• Odds: USA -600 ; +525 Draw; Ireland +1100

Last meeting

The two sides last met in a pair of friendlies in 2023. The USWNT were on the winning side of two narrow victories, a 2-0 win followed by a 1-0 result. The group was tested after Mallory Swanson sustained a torn left patellar tendon that also kept her out of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Lindsey Heaps, Emily Fox, and Alana Cook scored over the two matches, and each player is not rostered as part of the current camps.

What USWNT are saying

With a mix of starters away for this camp, Hayes will rely on more experienced players for leadership roles. Girma has been a staple with the team since 2022, though the most capped players in camp are Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, and forward Lynn Biyendolo.

Biyendolo has largely been a feature player off the bench for the coaching staff in 2025, perhaps a signal of things to come as the squad continues their prep for World Cup qualifiers. It’s hardly a role that is viewed as a relegation; in fact, she’s already scored three goals with the team this year. With such a less experienced forward core, she’s quickly become a leader among the attack.

“You just wake up one day and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m the veteran now.’ And I feel like that’s happened to me, but yeah, definitely I think that with so many new players, so much talent is in the pool, and so much talent is on this team right now, but there are things that I had to learn along the way from veterans as well, and so hopefully I can impart some wisdom and some experience on these younger players, and hopefully it sticks with them,” Biyendolo said ahead of the matches.

“I think that anytime you can find yourself in a veteran seat, it means that you’ve been here for a while, and knowing that is an honor and exciting in itself. Anytime you put on the crest, it’s an honor. But knowing I have been here long enough to be considered that, is, I don’t know, like something you only dream of when you’re younger. So it’s an honor, but it’s like a huge responsibility, and I don’t take that lightly.”

What Ireland are saying

Ireland head coach Carla Ward wants the squad to embrace the opportunity to face the No. 1-ranked team in the world. The girls in green are looking ahead to the UEFA Nations League, and going up against the USWNT will be crucial prep.

 “The two games against USA are an opportunity for us to work together on a number of things – both on and off the pitch – as we build towards the UEFA Nations League playoff against Belgium in October. We will be coming up against the best team in women’s football, so we will have a plan for those games, but it’s also important that we make the most out of this camp as a whole,” she said. 

“When these games were first proposed to us, we knew that we would be without certain players, but that opens the door for others to step up. We are building, camp by camp, so we are looking forward to getting together again and putting in some extra work that will stand to us moving forward.”

Predicted lineups

USWNT: Claudia Dickey; Avery Patterson, Emily Sonnett, Naomi Girma, Lily Reale; Sam Coffey, Rose Lavelle, Croix Bethune, Michelle Cooper, Lynn Biyendolo, Alyssa Thompson

Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Jessie Stapleton, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Chloe Mustaki; Denise O’Sullivan, Megan Connolly, Marissa Sheva, Kyra Carusa; Abbie Larkin, Amber Barrett

Player to watch

Avery Patterson, USWNT: The outside back has been putting together impressive performances in her short time with the national team. She’s bright in decision making and relentless in covering ground, and she delivered an assist on one of Lynn Biyandolo’s goals during the last window. She could get another shot to make an impact in front of the coaching staff to remain part of the core moving forward. 

Courtney Brosnan, Ireland: The goalkeeper has been Ireland’s No. 1 since 2020, after long stretches with Ireland youth programs. The Everton keeper is a clinical shot stopper,and isn’t intimidated when games come to her, and if she has a strong showing in goal, she could frustrate the USWNT attack. 

Prediction

Ireland are no strangers to bringing the physicality against the USWNT. Both squads have younger, less experienced players in the mix, and that might lead to stretches of the game with adjustments, but the USWNT will find a way. Pick: USA 2, Ireland 0

Latest news

– USWNT roster for summer friendlies, Girma, Lavelle, and Bethune return to camps

– Attacking Third USWNT vs. Ireland preview, which players will get more time and who has the most to prove

– Catch up with Emma Hayes after one year on the job as USWNT manager

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