How the USWNT's road to the 2027 Women's World Cup runs through the 2026 NWSL season

Thirteen months away from the Women's World Cup, a trip to Brazil still feels like a distant concept. Only the host nation is guaranteed a spot so far, still plenty of time on the clock for many teams to book their spots and hopeful players to make their case. Yet, as a new NWSL season begins on Friday, it is hard to shake the idea that the U.S. women's national team's path to Brazil – and potentially a fifth World Cup title – runs through the 2026 campaign, especially for some of the team's rising stars. Several U.S. internationals return to their clubs after a gritty week at the SheBelieves Cup, one in which head coach Emma Hayes may have tipped her hand at who might be the frontrunners...