United States Women’s National Team

References

United States Women’s National Team

soccer

Also known as: USWNT

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

The United States Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) is a prominent entity in international women's soccer. The team has achieved significant success in the Women's World Cup, an international competition governed by FIFA that determines the world champion among women's national teams. The USWNT won the inaugural tournament in 1991 and has since secured multiple championships, including victories in 1999, 2015, and 2019.12

Domestically, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top-tier professional women's soccer league in the United States. Launched in 2013, the NWSL has grown to include 14 teams as of the 2025 season, with plans for further expansion. The league awards the Shield to the team with the best regular-season record and crowns a champion through a playoff tournament.34

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Michelle Akers
She helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two World Cups (1991 and 1999) and an Olympic gold medal (1996).
Read More
She helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two World Cups (1991 and 1999) and an Olympic gold medal (1996).
Read More

Megan Rapinoe
…leading winger, she helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two Women’s World Cups (2015 and 2019) as well as a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Rapinoe was named Women’s Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale de…
Read More
…leading winger, she helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two Women’s World Cups (2015 and 2019) as well as a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Rapinoe was named Women’s Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale de…
Read More

Sophia Smith
…is a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT). Her outstanding achievements on the field helped the USWNT win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Read More
…is a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT). Her outstanding achievements on the field helped the USWNT win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Read More

Abby Wambach
She helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two Olympic gold medals (2004 and 2012) and a World Cup (2015). In 2012 she was named Women’s Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Read More
She helped the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) win two Olympic gold medals (2004 and 2012) and a World Cup (2015). In 2012 she was named Women’s Player of the Year by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
Read More