KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three Kansas City Current players have been called into the first 2023 U.S. Women’s National Team camp.
Goalkeeper AD Franch, defender Hailie Mace and forward Lynn Williams, who only made one appearance last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury, are among 24 players Vlatko Andonovski will bring to New Zealand for a six-day training camp.
The USWNT wraps up camp with a pair of games Jan. 18 in Wellington, New Zealand, and Jan. 21 in Auckland, New Zealand, against the host national team, the Football Ferns.
The games will air on HBO Max as part of a new broadcasting agreement for 2023.
New Zealand and Australia are co-hosting the 2023 Women’s World Cup from July 20 to Aug. 20 during the winter months for the Southern Hemisphere.
“We’ve been thinking about and planning for the World Cup for a long time, but when the calendar turns to the World Cup year, for sure it brings some renewed focus and energy as the tournament starts in less than 200 days,” Andonovski said in a statement. “To get to bring the team to New Zealand in January and play in our World Cup venues has so many benefits, so we are going to make sure we maximize our time together, make this trip as productive as possible and enjoy a unique experience as many of our players have never been to New Zealand before.”
The two-game series will be the USWNT’s first matches ever in New Zealand.
The USWNT is in Group E with Vietnam and the Netherlands for the Women's World Cup.
