Rodman returns to USWNT for January friendlies

Forward Trinity Rodman, who is out of contract with a club, will join the United States women's national team in training camp later this month for the first time since April 2025.

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes announced her 26-player roster on Thursday for the camp in Southern California, which will feature games against Paraguay on Jan. 24 and Chile on Jan. 27

The entire January camp roster is composed of NWSL players (except for Rodman, who is technically not under contract with an NWSL club).

The USWNT's annual January camp falls outside of FIFA windows and other teams are not required to release players.

Four players received their first senior team call-ups: forwards Maddie Dahlien and Reilyn Turner, and midfielders Riley Jackson and Sally Menti.

Rodman's return to the USWNT is another small step forward in her roller-coaster year.

She has played for the USWNT only once since playing a starring role in the 2024 Olympic gold medal triumph. She injured her back following that Olympics and returned to the USWNT in April, when she scored six minutes into her return in a 2-0 win over Brazil.

But Rodman stepped back from playing again later in April and was sidelined for several months due to her back.

She returned to league play in August before suffering another setback in October when she sprained her MCL during a Concacaf W Champions Cup with the Washington Spirit.

The injury occurred hours after she was named to the USWNT's roster for October games.

Rodman is listed on the USWNT roster as "unattached" -- the only such player with that distinction, and a rarity for the USWNT through the years -- because her previous contract with the Spirit has expired.

Rodman's future -- and how it will shape the NWSL's future -- has been the league's single-most prominent talking point since the NWSL Championship in late November.

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman previously rejected a proposed contract between the Spirit and Rodman that would have paid the 23-year-old forward over $1 million annually on average because it violated "the spirit" of the rules, as a grievance filed by the NWSL Players Association put it.

That grievance remains unresolved.

The NWSL board of governors then approved a new salary mechanism called the High Impact Player rule (HIP) that would allow teams to pay players up to $1m over the salary cap provided they meet certain criteria.

The timing of the rule would also solve Rodman's status, in theory, but the NWSLPA has voiced opposition to the development and could take further action to fight the HIP rule.

Rodman, meanwhile, is healthy enough to return to USWNT camp.

Hayes said she has not spoken to Rodman about her free agency and said that Rodman would be the one to speak about her next club move when the time comes.

"When it comes to Trin, sometimes I think it's just the maternal instinct in me to be quite protective, because I think she is an important player for club, for country," Hayes said. "And having managed similar profile players like Trin, I recognize that they might have to get some additional support, particularly with the expectations and the pressures that come with it. So, maybe I amp up my support in that way, but I will offer whatever those needs are elsewhere."

Rodman missed the Spirit's quarterfinal and played a few minutes in the semifinal before coming on in the 57th minute of the NWSL Championship, which the Spirit lost for the second straight year.

"When it comes to the playing front, I don't know where she's at. I haven't seen Trin train or play," Hayes said. "All I've seen is her having a footrace with [boyfriend and tennis star] Ben Shelton on the tennis court the other day. I think she'll be disappointed she didn't get a little bit closer towards the end.

"But if she gives me the thumbs up, which she has done to say, 'I'm good, I'm in a good place,' I have to take that at her word. ...

"I don't want to build it up too much because last time I spoke about it [she got injured] -- you know what I mean?

"I really hope she makes it to camp for her. I felt so gutted for her. I hope she makes it to camp, and I do genuinely think she's in a much better place than she was then."

Rodman has the most caps (47) and goals (11) of anyone on the USWNT's January roster as Hayes continues to vet new, young players.

Half of the players on the January camp roster debuted in 2025.

Only one player on the roster, midfielder Lo'eau LaBonta, is age 30 or older.

The goalkeeper position remains unsettled. The three goalkeepers in the January camp -- Claudia Dickey, Mandy McGlynn and Jordan Silkowitz -- have a combined 10 caps.

NJ/NY Gotham FC players are unavailable for the camp due to the overlapping FIFA Women's Champions Cup in England.

Gotham will play a semifinal against South American champions Corinthians on Jan. 28 with hopes of making the final on Feb. 1 to claim the first official club world title.

Some of the prominent European-based players who are missing include captain Lindsey Heaps and fellow midfielder Lily Yohannes, who both play for OL Lyonnes; Arsenal fullback Emily Fox; and Chelsea trio Naomi Girma, Catarina Macario and Alyssa Thompson.

U.S. Soccer also announced that the youth national team staff will conduct a concurrent development camp for players born between 2003 and 2008.

Hayes has spoken frequently about the need to develop players from a younger age.

USWNT January camp roster by position (Club; Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Seattle Reign FC; 6), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals; 4), Jordan Silkowitz (Bay FC; 0)

DEFENDERS (8): Jordyn Bugg (Seattle Reign FC; 5/0), Avery Patterson (Houston Dash; 9/1),Izzy Rodriguez (Kansas City Current; 1/1), Tara Rudd [nee McKeown] (Washington Spirit;9/0), Emily Sams (Orlando Pride; 7/0), Gisele Thompson (Angel City FC; 4/0), Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC; 2/0), Kate Wiesner (Washington Spirit; 2/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit; 5/0), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit; 3/0), Claire Hutton (Kansas City Current; 11/1), Riley Jackson (North Carolina Courage; 0/0), Lo'eau LaBonta (Kansas City Current; 4/0), Sally Menti (Seattle Reign FC;0/0), Sam Meza (Seattle Reign FC; 2/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 11/5)

FORWARDS (7): Maddie Dahlien (Seattle Reign FC; 0/0), Jameese Joseph (Chicago Stars FC; 1/0), Trinity Rodman (Unattached; 47/11), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Dash; 15/2), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC; 12/4), Ally Sentnor (Kansas City Current; 13/4), Reilyn Turner (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0)