Houston to Host Opening Matches of 2025 SheBelieves Cup

Houston will again harbor a major soccer event, with Shell Energy Stadium hosting the opening matches of the 10th SheBelieves Cup on Thursday.

The SheBelieves Cup is an annual women’s soccer tournament in the U.S. featuring top national teams. It is typically held in February or March. U.S. Soccer created the competition to promote women’s soccer, provide high-level international competition, and showcase new USWNT players.

The teams play a round-robin format, with each team facing off against the others in a series of matches. The tournament has become a key event in the build-up to major competitions like the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Games.

The home of the Houston Dash and Houston Dynamo FC will hold a doubleheader. Japan will face off against Australia at 4 p.m. CT, followed by the U.S. Women’s National Team taking on Colombia at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, February 20.

Australia vs. Japan

Australia’s women’s soccer team has turned into a powerhouse in international women’s soccer, consistently ranking among the top teams in the world. The team has enjoyed significant success in major tournaments, including reaching the semifinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, they suffered a setback at the Paris Olympics 2024, failing to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since the Sydney 2000 Summer Games.

Australia boasts one of the sport’s most prolific goal scorers, Sam Kerr. Although she missed the Paris Olympics due to injury, she has since returned to the pitch. Kerr has scored 69 goals with the “Matildas” and more than 200 goals overall in her career, which began with Perth Glory in Australia during the 2008/2009 season.

With a perfect blend of experienced stars and emerging talent, the “Matildas” are a formidable force in women’s soccer, ready to challenge the best teams in the world.

Meanwhile, Japan remains a dominant name in women’s soccer. Ranked 8th in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, Japan is a perennial contender on the global stage. The team won the Women’s World Cup in 2011 and consistently contends for top honors in international competitions.

This will be the “Nadeshiko” third consecutive appearance in the SheBelieves Cup and their fifth overall. Hinata Miyazawa, one of Japan’s most talked-about players at just 24 years old, recently won the 2023 World Cup Golden Boot. Miyazawa is not only revered by her national team but also plays for Manchester United W.F.C.

On the same league and in the same city, Manchester City’s Yui Hasegawa is widely considered one of the best defensive midfielders.

USWNT vs. Colombia

The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) returns to Houston for the first time since the 2021 Summer Series, where they secured victories over Jamaica and Portugal at Shell Energy Stadium in June 2021.

The USWNT recently triumphed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, winning the gold medal and once again establishing themselves as the team to beat. The team currently holds the prestigious number-one spot in the FIFA rankings.

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has embraced the SheBelieves Cup as an opportunity to experiment with recent rosters as part of the team’s development phase, with her focus now shifting toward preparing for the 2027 World Cup.

Although many veteran players, including Trinity Rodman (who is recovering from a long-term back injury) and Rose Lavelle (who is recovering from ankle surgery), will not participate in the tournament, this has given Hayes the chance to assess players who have not had much international experience and start determining who she wants on the roster for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

Forward Catarina Macario, who missed the Olympics due to a knee injury, is back, alongside a roster full of players eager to showcase their talent.

On the opposite side, Colombia enters the tournament as the lowest-ranked team, sitting in 21st place, but don’t let that fool you. The “Cafeteras” are known for their grit and have proven capable of pulling off surprising results, as demonstrated in the Paris Olympics, where they lost to the current World Champions, Spain, in a penalty shoot-out.

Colombia makes its debut in the SheBelieves Cup with a roster of young breakout players, including Real Madrid’s striker Linda Caicedo. At just 19 years old, Caicedo has already made waves with her exceptional style of play and is one to watch.

Another 19-year-old making a name for herself is Utah Royals outside-back Ana María Guzmán, currently on loan from Bayern Munich. Additionally, two other players from the NWSL have been called up for the tournament: Ángela Barón of Racing Louisville FC and Leicy Santos of the Washington Spirit.

Meanwhile, striker Mayra Ramirez has earned accolades for her style of play and currently plays in the Women’s Super League with Chelsea.

Colombia is coming with a lot of hunger to win and show out against one of the world’s number one team.

The full tournament schedule is provided below:

Thursday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. CT Shell Energy Stadium Japan vs. Australia

Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. CT Shell Energy Stadium USA vs. Colombia

Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. CT State Farm Stadium Colombia vs. Japan

Sunday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. CT State Farm Stadium USA vs. Australia

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT Snapdragon Stadium Australia vs. Colombia

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 9:30 p.m. CT Snapdragon Stadium USA vs. Japan