Five Gotham FC Players Named to USWNT Roster for April Matches against Japan
NWSL NJ/NY Gotham FC

Five Gotham FC Players Named to USWNT Roster for April Matches against Japan

Published on April 1, 2026 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
NJ/NY Gotham FC News Release


JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Five Gotham FC players have been named to the 26-player U.S. Women's National Team roster for a trio of April matches against 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup champions Japan.

Defenders Tierna Davidson, Lilly Reale and Emily Sonnett and midfielders Rose Lavelle and Jaedyn Shaw will represent the United States in matches on April 11, 14 and 17 in San Jose, Seattle and Denver.

Gotham FC's five selections are the most of any NWSL club on the roster.

The quintet continues to play a key role in Gotham FC's sustained success, following a historic 2025 season in which the club captured both the NWSL Championship and Concacaf W Champions Cup before earning a bronze medal at the 2026 FIFA Women's Champions Cup.

Davidson (67 caps, 3 goals) returns to the U.S. roster after recovering from an ACL injury suffered early in the 2025 season, marking her first national team call-up in more than a year. She made her Gotham FC return in the club's home opener on March 21, 358 days between games, and has since appeared in each of Gotham's last three matches. One of the most experienced defenders in the player pool, Davidson last appeared for the United States in February 2025, also against Japan.

Lavelle (118 caps, 27 goals) and Sonnett (115 caps, 2 goals) rank among the most experienced players on the roster. Lavelle, the 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, played a pivotal role in Gotham's title-winning campaign and earned NWSL Championship MVP honors, while Sonnett anchored a defense that set a club record for shutouts last season.

Shaw (34 caps, 10 goals) continues her rapid rise on the international stage, reaching double-digit goals for the United States earlier this year. She was instrumental in Gotham's postseason run in 2025, tying a club playoff record with three goal contributions.

Reale (seven caps) builds on a standout pro debut that saw her earn both NWSL Rookie of the Year and U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year honors. A consistent presence along Gotham's back line, she appeared in every regular-season match in 2025 and has started all four matches to open the 2026 season.

The United States will open the three-match series against Japan on April 11 at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. (5:30 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV and HBO Max in English; Universo and Peacock in Spanish). The teams will meet again on April 14 at Lumen Field in Seattle (10 p.m. ET) before closing the series on April 17 at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado (9 p.m. ET).

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