USWNT U-17's set for Ticas on St Pat's

PREVIEW: U.S. U-17 WNT KICKS OFF WORLD CUP QUALIFYING IN COSTA RICA

U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team

Final Round of the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers 

Costa Rican Football Federation Headquarters; San Rafael, Alajuela 

March 17-22, 2026

U-17 WNT KICKS OFF FINAL ROUND OF CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-17 QUALIFIERS: The United States Under-17 Women’s National Team will kick off its World Cup Qualifying campaign in the Final Round of the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers, which will be played from March 17-22 in Costa Rica. The USA opens the tournament on March 17 vs. Bermuda (2:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. local on Fox Sports 2), faces Haiti on March 19 (5 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. local on Fox Soccer Plus) and then finishes the competition on March 22 against Puerto Rico (2:06 p.m. ET / 12:06 p.m. local on Fox Soccer Plus). The entire qualifying tournament will be held at the Costa Rican Football Federation headquarters in San Rafael, Alajuela.

The other two groups feature Canada, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in Group A and Mexico, host Costa Rica, Panama and Jamaica in Group C.

This is the third U.S. U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying squad to include professional players. In 2024, midfielder Melanie Barcenas from San Diego Wave FC and forward Alex Pfeiffer, then from Kansas City Current and now Bay FC, were the pros on the roster. Last year, San Diego Wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio and forward Micayla Johnson from the Chicago Stars represented the National Women’s Soccer League at the qualifying tournament.  

Midfielder Mak Whitham from Gotham FC is the only professional on this year’s U-17 qualifying roster while forward Deus Stanislaus, who has enrolled early at the University of North Carolina, is the only college player. Sam Odgen plays for the Kansas City Current II while the other 18 players represent 15 youth clubs across the country. 

The Concacaf qualifying competitions are an important part of the Federation’s continued focus on the U.S. Way philosophy, which emphasizes increased programming for Youth National Teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance through the pathway to the senior National Team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship. 

Follow the U-17 WYNT throughout the tournament on ussoccer.com as well as U.S. Soccer Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

FINAL ROUND OF THE 2026 CONCACAF WOMEN’S UNDER-17 QUALIFIERS BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN; U-17 CAPS/GOALS)

Goalkeepers (3): Alexis Fischer (Eclipse Select SC; Chicago, Ill; 1), Avellina Saunders (Utah Royals FC Arizona; Phoenix, Ariz.; 2), Lola-Iris Ta (FC Dallas, Dallas, Texas; 0)

Defenders (6): Sophia Ahrens (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; Fenton, Mo.; 4/2), Kendra Hansen (Pateadores SC; Tustin, Calif.; 2/0), Maddie Maves (Crossfire Premier SC; Seattle, Wash.; 3/0), Sam Ogden (Kansas City Current II; Overland Park, Kan.; 2/0), Anaiah Williams (Eclipse Select SC; Glendale Heights, Ill.; 4/0), Gigi Zuniga (Mountain View Los Altos SC; Watsonville, Calif.; 4/0)

Midfielders (6): Mia Corona (Legends FC; Cypress, Calif.; 4/0), Jordyn Heathcock (FC Dallas; Edmond, Okla.; 4/0), Taylor Morrell (Virginia Development Academy; Leesburg, Va.; 2/2), Grace Murray (Beach FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.; 2/0), Loradana Paletta (New York City FC; Syosset, N.Y.; 8/3), Elena Vera (Bay Area Surf SC; Fairfield, Calif.; 2/0)

Forwards (6): Giselle Aguilar (Solar SC; Cleburne, Texas; 2/1), Maddie DiMaria (St. Louis Scott Gallagher; Fenton, Mo.; 10/4), Gianna Hanf (Match Fit Academy; Chesterfield, N.J.; 4/0), Amari Manning (Players Development Academy; Flemington, N.J.; 4/2), Deus Stanislaus (UNC; Fort Washington, Pa.; 4/2), Mak Whitham (Gotham FC; Granite Bay, Calif.; 5/2)

FINAL ROUND OF 2026 CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-17 QUALIFIERS – COSTA RICA

GROUP B SCHEDULE - USA

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: This is the second year of this Concacaf qualifying format for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. With the world championship now staged annually and expanded from 16 to 24 nations, instead of a tournament in which the top three Concacaf finishers qualify for the Women’s U-17 World Cup, 12 teams were drawn into three groups of four teams each with the winner of each group and the best second place team qualifying for the World Cup, set for October-November 2026 in Morocco. The next four editions of the tournament will be held in Morocco.

CONCACAF U-17 HISTORY: The U.S. has successfully qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup seven times (2008, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024 and 2025). In the most recent iteration of the Concacaf qualification format, the U.S. will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 WWC if they finish first in the group or end the tournament as the best second-place finisher among the three groups.

In previous editions of the tournament where a champion was crowned, the U.S. won the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship six times (2008, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024). The two Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championships at which the USA finished third – 2010 and 2014, with the USA falling in penalty kicks in the semifinal both times – were both years in which the World Cup was held in Concacaf countries and thus only two berths from the region were up for grabs. 

THE CONSISTENT FOUR: Only four different teams have qualified out of Concacaf for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: The USA (seven times), Mexico (seven times), Canada (seven times) and Costa Rica (one time). Trinidad & Tobago hosted the World Cup in 2010, Costa Rica hosted in 2014, and the Dominican Republic hosted in 2024, thus earning automatic berths to those tournaments.

CLIMBING THE LADDER: The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team had been a launching pad for numerous players who have moved up through the National Team programs to eventually represent the senior USWNT. From 2008-2018, an average of almost three players per U.S. U-17 qualifying squad have gone on to represent the full USWNT. 

In fact, a total of 25 players who have played for the USA in the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship have gone on to earn caps at the senior level, including six who won FIFA Women’s World Cups in either 2015 or 2019. Morgan Brian, Samantha Mewis, Crystal Dunn and Kristie Mewis played for the team that advanced to the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Final in New Zealand.

2026 U-17 WWC QUALIFIED TEAMS SO FAR: Just three countries thus far have qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. In addition to host Morocco, New Zealand and Samoa have qualified from Oceania via the 2025 OFC U-16 Women's Championship.

JUST GETTING STARTED: This group of U.S. U-17s comes into World Cup qualifying having had three training camps together – one in November of 2025, one in January of 2026 in Spain and another in Spain in February of 2026 where they competed in the MIMA Cup. 

U-17 WNT Roster Notes:

• Last year's change in tournament format means the USA can no longer win a Concacaf U-17 Women's Championship, of which it has won six and the most recent four in a row. The USA won the Concacaf U-17 Women's Championship in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024. The 2020 competition was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
• Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, are age-eligible for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Seventeen players selected by Crinion for this roster were born in 2009 with three in 2010 and the youngest player on the roster, Loradana Paletta, born in 2011.
• This age group of players has had just three training camps together - November of 2025 in Atlanta and the two trips to Spain this year.
• This group of U.S. U-17s comes into World Cup qualifying having had four international matches together, two games against Denmark in January and two at the MIMA Cup in February. All four matches were in Spain.
• At the MIMA Cup, the USA defeated Wales and World Cup host Morocco, both by 5-0 scores, to make it to the championship game, which was cancelled due to inclement weather. The USA was awarded the tournament title based on its superior goal difference.
• Forward Maddie DiMaria and midfielders Mak Whitham and Paletta were involved in last year's U-17 cycle, making the trio the two most experienced players on the qualifying roster, with DiMaria having 10 caps and four goals while Paletta has earned eight caps and scored three goals. Whitham has five caps and two goals, one of them scored at last year's U-17 Women's World Cup against Norway. Paletta was too young to play in last year's World Cup but otherwise might have earned a roster spot.
• DiMaria was also on the USA's 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Team, and she scored in the 5-2 win over China PR in group play.
• Heading into qualifying, DiMaria has scored three goals this year, as has Paletta, while Sophia Ahrens, Deus Stanislaus and Amari Manning have two each.
• Eight players on the roster will be playing in their second Concacaf age group championship. Taylor Morrell, Mia Corona, Paletta, Stanislaus, DiMaria, Manning, Elena Vera and Whitham also helped the USA win the 2024 Concacaf Girls' U-15 Championship, which was held in Costa Rica at the same facility that will host these Concacaf U-17 Women’s Final Round qualifying matches. Crinion was also head coach of that team.
• Whitham signed a professional contract with Gotham FC on July 26, 2024, at 13 years old, via the NWSL's U-18 entry mechanism, which made her the youngest player in NWSL history.
• She became the youngest player in top-division American soccer history when she appeared as a substitute against the Washington Spirit in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup group stage on July 28, 2024.
• Whitham made her NWSL regular-season debut on March 15, 2025, as a stoppage-time substitute in the season opener against the Seattle Reign. That appearance made her the youngest player in league history at 14 years, 8 months, surpassing the San Diego Wave's Melanie Barcenas.
• Before heading to Costa Rica, the U-17s trained in Houston for four days. 
• The players hail from 12 different states, but six are from California, three from SoCal and three from NorCal. The states of Texas, Illinois, New Jersey and Missouri each have two representatives on the roster.

USA U-17s vs. BERMUDA: The USA’s first Group B match will mark second time the U.S. and Bermuda will face off in U-17 Concacaf Qualifiers. The first time the two teams played was June 6, 2018, in Bradenton, Fla. That tournament started in Managua, Nicaragua, but was postponed after one match day due to local civil unrest that forced the teams to immediately leave the country. The competition resumed about six weeks later in Florida and the match against Bermuda was the USA’s first of the restarted tournament. The U.S. won 10-1 behind goals from Mia Fishel, Diana Ordonez, Reilyn Turner, Sam Kroeger, Makenna Morris, Astrid Wheeler and braces from Maya Doms and Sunshine Fontes. Fishel and Turner have earned USWNT caps. Ordonez now plays for Mexico and Morris plays for Racing Louisville in the NWSL. 

USA U-17s vs. HAITI The U.S and Haiti have played each other three times in this tournament and the U.S. holds 3W-0L-0D record over the Haitians. The first meeting was in 2010 in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The result was a 9-0 win behind goals from Alex Doll, Cari Roccaro, Morgan Brian, a brace from Taylor Smith and a four-goal game from Lindsey Heaps (then Horan), who is now captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team with 173 caps on her resume The second matchup was a 3-2 win in 2018 behind a brace from Sunshine Fontes and a goal from Mia Fishel. The third came just two years ago, in 2024, the U.S. earned a 7-1 win in Toluca, Mexico. Mya Townes and Alex Pfeiffer (now of Bay FC) scored one goal each for the U.S. while Angel City FC’s Kennedy Fuller earned a brace and San Diego wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio buried a hattrick. 

USA U-17s vs. PUERTO RICO: The U.S. has played Puerto Rico twice in this tournament. The first was in 2022 when the U.S. won 13-0 behind goals from Lauren Martinho, Nicollette Kiorpes and Nikki Fraser, a brace from Taylor Suarez (now of Angel City FC), a hattrick from current senior team player Claire Hutton and a five-goal game from Amalia Villarreal. The second time was in 2024 when the U.S. won 3-1 behind goals from Carrie Helfrich, Jocelyn Travers and Mya Townes.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:

• Each team will be allowed to make a maximum of five substitutions.
• If teams are tied on points at the conclusion of the group stage, the following tiebreakers will be used:
  
  • Goal difference in all group matches
  • Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches

If teams are still tied, the following tiebreakers will be used:

• • Greater number of points in matches between the tied teams (head-to-head)
  • Greater goal difference in matches between the tied teams (if more than two teams finish equal on points)
  • Greater number of goals scored in matches among the tied teams (if more than two teams finish equal on points)
  • Lower number of points based on yellow and red cards in all group matches (First yellow = 1 point, second yellow/indirect red = 3 points, direct red = 4 points, yellow and direct red = 5 points)
  • Drawing of lots
• Two yellows received in different games during the competition will result in automatic suspension for the next game. Single yellow cards will be eliminated at the end of the group stage. 

HEAD COACH CIARA CRINION: Ciara Crinion transitioned to head coach of the U.S. U-17 WNT in the second half of 2025 and will take that group of players to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and if all goes well, to the World Cup in Morocco. In her role as part of an integrated WYNT coaching staff, Crinion works across age groups with a focus on the U-17s. She works closely with U-16 GNT head coach Katie Schoepfer to maximize the development, evaluation and movement of players between age groups for training camps and matches. Crinion coached her first international matches in June 2023, leading the U-15s to victories against Netherlands and Germany. She guided the U-15 WNT to the championship at the 2024 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship, where the U.S. won its fourth-straight title at this age level. At that Concacaf championship, which was held in Costa Rica, the USA outscored its opponents 31-1 and defeated Mexico, 3-0, in the title game. It was the USA’s first Concacaf U-15 championship won outside the USA. Crinion served an assistant coach for the senior U.S. Women’s National Team while Twila Kilgore was interim USWNT head coach (from September of 2023 to April of 2024) and helped the USA win the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup and 2024 She Believes Cup. Crinion joined U.S. Soccer after more than 10 years coaching in the NCAA and holds a U.S. Soccer “A” Coaching License as well as a Talent Scout License. She was head coach at Seton Hall from 2019-22 and launched her college coaching career with eight years as an assistant at Hartford, helping lead the Hawks to five regular season conference championships. Since 2017, Crinion has scouted and run Talent ID Centers for U.S. Soccer. She has also worked as an assistant coach with the U-20 WNT. As a player, she was a part of the Ireland U-17 and U-19 Women’s National Teams and spent four years playing at Central Connecticut State, twice earning all-conference honors.

Editor's Note: This US team features a pair with local ties. Whitman of Gotham FC & Paletta of my hometown, Syosset, the same as Gotham owner Sue Bird & Natalie Portman, owner Angel City.