# A Long-Term Vision for U.S. Women’s Soccer
Since taking charge of the U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) in 2024, Emma Hayes has pursued goals that extend beyond results on the field. After guiding the team to Olympic gold in her first months as manager, she has focused on building a stronger, more supportive environment for women and girls across U.S. soccer.
That work includes preparing for major competitions, including the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, while reshaping how the program supports athletes and develops future talent.
## The WNT Way puts women at the center
Hayes introduced the “WNT Way” in 2025 as a long-term vision for the national team program. Its central idea is to design processes around the needs of women and girls rather than simply adapting systems originally developed for men.
The approach has been a focus of the herLENS conference, a two-day U.S. Soccer event featuring conversations about research, data and the future of the women’s game. At the conference, Hayes emphasized that the USWNT’s impact should reach beyond winning medals and championships.
For Hayes, success also means helping build a soccer environment where people throughout the sport are better supported. That ambition requires collective effort, ongoing education and changes that extend beyond the senior national team.
## What the Female 360 approach means for players
A key part of the USWNT’s player support system is its “Female 360” approach. It combines individual conversations, player feedback and personal development plans with attention to areas such as nutrition, hydration, overall health and menstrual cycles.
The goal is to understand each player as an individual. Rather than treating data as an end in itself, Hayes says coaches and staff should use it thoughtfully and listen to what athletes say they need.
Her interest in women-centered performance planning grew from her coaching experience at Chelsea. After a 2016 FA Cup final, Hayes began asking how factors including menstrual cycles could affect players’ coordination and preparation. She has also spoken publicly about her experience with stage five endometriosis, helping bring greater visibility to health issues that can affect women in sport.
Hayes argues that appropriate support can benefit both athlete wellbeing and performance. For example, food choices, meal settings and weighing procedures may affect how comfortable a player feels and whether she eats enough. Small changes, informed by player feedback, can make a meaningful difference.
## Investing in the future of the USWNT
Hayes’ plans reach beyond the senior team. The program has worked to create futures camps, reestablish the under-23 team and support opportunities for younger national teams, including the under-20 squad.
These pathways help coaches evaluate emerging talent and give players more chances to develop within the national-team system. They also support a broader goal: ensuring the women-centered principles used by the senior team are reflected throughout U.S. Soccer.
The herLENS initiative is expanding as well. U.S. Soccer has partnered with the Kang Women’s Institute to establish the herLENS Research Consortium. Its work will examine questions affecting women’s and girls’ soccer, including how performance data is collected and used and why some girls leave the game.
## A plan that extends beyond one tournament cycle
Although Hayes’ initial managerial contract was announced through 2027, U.S. Soccer leaders have described her role as part of a longer-term strategy. Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone has said the intention was never to focus only on one tournament cycle, but to build toward future success.
That long-range outlook also connects to the United States’ expected role in hosting the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup alongside CONCACAF partners. Developing the women’s game now, U.S. Soccer believes, can help create a stronger foundation for the years ahead.
## Building toward the 2027 Women’s World Cup
Hayes has said that having more time to prepare gives the coaching staff greater opportunity to develop its approach than it had before the 2024 Olympics. In that short preparation period, she and her staff had to focus on essentials such as sleep, nutrition and creating an environment where players felt comfortable.
Her examples illustrate how traditional performance practices may not work equally well for every athlete. Individual circumstances—including a player’s health, stress levels and confidence—can shape how she responds to training and preparation. Hayes’ approach is to build trust, ask questions and adapt support to the person rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all system.
The team has also continued to widen its player pool. Hayes used 44 players in lineups during 2025, and many players have earned their first USWNT caps during her tenure. Injuries and roster changes remain part of the process, but evaluating new talent helps strengthen competition and prepare the team for future demands.
## What comes next for the USWNT
The USWNT’s upcoming two-match series against Spain offers a high-level test against one of the world’s top teams. The matches are part of the team’s preparation as Hayes continues to assess players and refine the program.
The results will matter, but they are only one part of a broader project. Hayes is working to create a USWNT program that combines competitive ambition with long-term investment in players, coaches, research and the next generation of women’s soccer.