SheBelieves Cup 2023: USWNT to face Brazil, Canada and Japan

• Canada, Brazil, Japan to face USWNT
• USWNT are holders and five-time winners
• Matches to be played in three different US venues

WHAT HAPPENED? The tournament was first held in 2016 and returns to a three-venue format after the lifting of COVID-19 protocols, all of which will be played on home soil for the USWNT, who are current holders and five-time winners. Between February 16 and 22, the United States face Canada in the Explora Stadium, Orlando, before taking on Japan at Nashville's Geodis Park and finally Brazil at the Toyota Stadium in Texas.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The SheBelieves Cup will represent the USWNT's first matches of 2023, which will take place after the squad's January camp in New Zealand in preparation for the World Cup in July. All of the three teams battling it out in February have qualified for the summer's showcase international tournament, with Canada, Brazil and Japan ranking 6th, 9th and 11th in the world respectively.

WHAT THEY SAID?: "The first five games of the 2023 schedule will all be against teams playing in the World Cup and we expect to confirm a few more matches against top opponents before we go to New Zealand during the summer," USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a release. "We love the SheBelieves Cup for the world-class competition it brings, the format that helps replicate group play at a World Cup and the overall meaning that it has for our team and women's sports."

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR THE USWNT? The United States go in defence of their SheBelieves title against rivals Canada on February 16th.