The United States women will push for 2023 World Cup qualification this summer at the CONCACAF W Championship, and all eyes will be on the defending World Cup champions to confirm their place and defend their title.
With the team gearing up for that challenge, a number of national team players are doing double duty, playing for both club and country.
A number of established veterans, such as Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, have taken a back seat to a younger group of players for the early part of the 2022 international season, and those stars will need to work their way back into the fold with their performances on the club level.
Other young players, like Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith, Mal Pugh, and Trinity Rodman, have been given a more prominent role with the USWNT in recent matches, but they'll need to continue to show they can be difference makers with their clubs.
Whether young or old, the time between national team stints is vitally important. Most USWNT players stay domestic for their club soccer, playing in the NWSL, one of the world's top women's leagues. Some, however, have chosen to play abroad, such as in France or England. Here's where all the USWNT players play their club soccer in 2022.
MORE: Explaining the NWSL Challenge Cup
USWNT player pool and where they play
| Player | Position | Caps | Club | League | Signed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethany Balcer | FW | 1 | OL Reign | NWSL | April 2019 |
| Jane Campbell | GK | 7 | Houston Dash | NWSL | April 2017 |
| Alana Cook | DEF | 9 | OL Reign | NWSL | June 2021 |
| Abby Dahlkemper | DEF | 79 | San Diego Wave | NWSL | Nov. 2021 |
| Tierna Davidson | DEF | 48 | Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Jan. 2019 |
| Imani Dorsey | DEF | 1 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | NWSL | May 2018 |
| Crystal Dunn | DEF | 123 | Portland Thorns | NWSL | Oct. 2020 |
| Julie Ertz | DEF/MF | 116 | Angel City FC* | NWSL | Dec. 2021 |
| Emily Fox | DEF | 13 | Racing Louisville | NWSL | Jan. 2021 |
| Adrianna Franch | GK | 10 | KC Current | NWSL | Aug. 2021 |
| Morgan Gautrat | MF | 88 | Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | June 2018 |
| Naomi Girma | DEF | 1 | San Diego Wave | NWSL | Dec. 2021 |
| Ashley Hatch | FW | 8 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Jan. 2018 |
| Tobin Heath | FW | 181 | Unattached** | — | — |
| Lindsey Horan | MF | 109 | Lyon | D1F | Feb. 2022 |
| Jaelin Howell | MF | 5 | Racing Louisville | NWSL | Jan. 2022 |
| Sofia Huerta | DEF | 12 | OL Reign | NWSL | Feb. 2020 |
| Aubrey Kingsbury | GK | 1 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Jan. 2018 |
| Casey Krueger | DEF | 37 | Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Nov. 2015 |
| Rose Lavelle | MF | 71 | OL Reign | NWSL | May 2021 |
| Catarina Macario | FW | 17 | Lyon | D1F | Jan. 2021 |
| Kristie Mewis | MF | 38 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | NWSL | Dec. 2021 |
| Sam Mewis | MF | 83 | KC Current | NWSL | Nov. 2021 |
| Alex Morgan | FW | 190 | San Diego Wave | NWSL | Dec. 2021 |
| Casey Murphy | GK | 4 | NC Courage | NWSL | Oct. 2020 |
| Alyssa Naeher | GK | 80 | Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Nov. 2015 |
| Kelley O'Hara | DEF | 152 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Dec. 2020 |
| Christen Press | FW | 155 | Angel City FC | NWSL | Aug. 2021 |
| Mallory Pugh | FW | 72 | Chicago Red Stars | NWSL | Dec. 2020 |
| Margaret Purce | FW | 14 | NJ/NY Gotham FC | NWSL | Jan. 2020 |
| Megan Rapinoe | FW | 187 | OL Reign | NWSL | Jan. 2014 |
| Trinity Rodman | FW | 3 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Jan. 2021 |
| Ashley Sanchez | MF | 7 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Jan. 2020 |
| Becky Sauerbrunn | DEF | 202 | Portland Thorns | NWSL | March 2020 |
| Sophia Smith | FW | 15 | Portland Thorns | NWSL | Jan. 2020 |
| Emily Sonnett | DEF | 65 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Dec. 2020 |
| Andi Sullivan | MF | 27 | Washington Spirit | NWSL | Jan. 2018 |
| Morgan Weaver | FW | 2 | Portland Thorns | NWSL | June 2020 |
| Lynn Williams | FW | 47 | KC Current | NWSL | Jan. 2022 |
* =Julie Ertz's rights were traded to Angel City FC but she has not signed a contract with the club
** = Tobin Heath departed Arsenal by mutual consent on April 29, 2022
NWSL = National Women's Soccer League (USA)
D1F = Division 1 Feminine (France)
FAWSL = FA Women's Super League (England)
MORE: Key dates for 2022 NWSL season
Where top USWNT stars play club soccer
Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)
One of the most well-known USWNT stars, Alex Morgan, is in her first season with new NWSL expansion side San Diego Wave, having joined the club in December via a trade from the Orlando Pride.
Morgan is doing quite well with her new club, earning Player of the Week honors in early April and scoring four goals for the club in the season-opening NWSL Challenge Cup.
Another goal, but this time for San Diego!@alexmorgan13 pulls one back with a smooth finish.@sandiegowavefc | #RGNvSD pic.twitter.com/X3ZKxiJntV
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) April 15, 2022
MORE: Top stars in NWSL for 2022 season
Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign)
Unlike Morgan, who has played for a number of clubs over the past decade, Megan Rapinoe has enjoyed consistency at the club level. Rapinoe joined OL Reign — then known as Seattle Reign — in 2014 and has been a fixture at the club ever since. She won the NWSL regular season title in 2014 and 2015, and reached the playoff final in 2014 as well.
Unfortunately, while OL Reign has reached the playoffs in each of the last three NWSL seasons (excluding the COVID-19 shortened season), the club has lost its first postseason game in all three, so Rapinoe is hoping to help the club over the hump in the upcoming campaign.
Rapinoe, with over 75 appearances for the club, was inducted into the OL Reign's ring of honor, known as "Reign FC Legends," in 2019. But the soon-to-be 37-year-old needs to get over some early season injury issues to add to that career total in 2022.
Christen Press (Angel City FC)
If Morgan became the face of new expansion side San Diego Wave, Christen Press was that marquee signing for San Diego rival Angel City FC in the winter.
While she hasn't gotten off to quite as hot a start as Morgan, Press was on the scoresheet for her new club with a goal in a loss against San Diego, which saw Morgan bag a brace. Those two will have plenty of rivalry battles at the club level, but both could also team up to help push the USWNT towards World Cup qualification this summer.
Catarina Macario (Lyon)
One of the brightest young stars on the USWNT, Macario has burst onto the scene this spring, scoring twice in the SheBelieves Cup and three more in the pair of games against Uzbekistan.
The 22-year-old has also been prolific for her club Lyon, playing in the top French women's league as well as in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Lyon currently sits five points atop the Division 1 Feminine table with four matches to go, and they face fellow French side PSG in the Champions League semifinals in late April.
Macario is a huge reason behind the club's success, as the club's top scorer this season on both fronts.
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) March 23, 2022This header from Catarina Macario put Lyon up against Juventus in the #UWCL. 💥 🇺🇸
Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns)
With Carli Lloyd's retirement, Becky Sauerbrunn is now the active leader in caps for the women's national team, with over 200 appearances. She has played for a number of clubs over her career, most recently joining the Portland Thorns in 2020.
The 2021 regular season came to an early end in the playoff semifinal, but prior to that, Sauerbrunn helped the club to the 2021 Challenge Cup crown, bagging a penalty in the eventual title game shootout against NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Unfortunately, she missed the entire 2022 Challenge Cup after knee surgery, but should eventually be back to help push for an NWSL title.
Kelley O'Hara (Washington Spirit)
O'Hara has been one of the few veteran holdovers on the young USWNT roster this past winter and spring, speaking to her importance to the national team side as it ushers in a new era of young players.
O'Hara has also played her entire club career domestically. After spending three seasons with the Utah Royals, she was traded to the Washington Spirit and helped the club win the 2021 NWSL championship, scoring a stoppage-time goal in the final to seal the win.
