Emma Hayes has announced a 26-player United States women's national team squad for October's friendly matches against defending World Cup champions Spain. The squad includes several significant recalls, most notably NWSL top scorer Ashley Sanchez, who returns to the national team after nearly a year away, having been a peripheral figure in Hayes' setup despite an extraordinary season with North Carolina Courage. The squad also welcomes back midfielder Sam Coffey and defender Naomi Girma, though Girma is returning to action after an injury absence, whilst four uncapped players have earned selection following strong performances in the NWSL. Hayes described the camp as an opportunity to reestablish connections after a long break and evaluate players who haven't featured in the current cycle.

Sanchez's recall headlines the selections after she has already broken the NWSL scoring record for American players with 20 goals in 26 matches and stands one goal away from breaking the overall league record. Among the notable absences is Jaedyn Shaw, who scored a brace this past weekend to reach nine goals for Gotham this season, despite being a regular in the national team setup with 33 caps since the last World Cup. Mallory Swanson, who scored the gold medal-winning goal at the 2024 Olympics, also returns to the squad as she recovers from injury, whilst all eight selected defenders have earned at least seven USWNT caps. The squad aims to prepare for future competitions whilst testing how Sanchez's elite club-level performance translates to the international game, where Hayes already has multiple options capable of playing attacking midfielder roles.