The 2026 SheBelieves Cup will turn into a rivalry night on Wednesday when the U.S. women’s national team squares off against Canada. Head coach Emma Hayes and her squad get the perfect match to build on players’ tournament experience, a theme Hayes wants replicated for a large portion of the roster. There are eight players from the 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning team on the SheBelieves Cup roster, with plenty of others who are either experiencing their first or second SheBelieves Cup competition. 

Following a 2-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday’s opener, the USWNT now face a Canadian side that lead the tournament table after a 4-1 win over Colombia. With a final game against Colombia on Saturday, the match against Canada sets the stage for a meeting that will likely determine this year’s champion. 

The Americans are expected to have Trinity Rodman after an injury concern in the opener.

Here’s how to watch the game and key storylines:

How to watch USA vs. Canada

Date: Wednesday, March 4 | Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field — Columbus, Ohio 
TV: TNT
Stream: HBO Max

Long-time rivals

The rivalry between the two North American giants dates back to 1986, with the United States leading the all-time series. The USWNT holds a commanding advantage through 67 previous meetings, with 54 wins, four losses, and nine draws, and has outscored the regional rivals 189-42. 

Despite the lopsided record, recent versions of the rivalry have taken dramatic turns, often in tournament settings, with the sides getting the better of each other. From penalty shootouts in the 2024 Gold Cup and 2024 SheBelieves Cup to Olympic semifinal showdowns, the two nations are no strangers to high-stakes moments against each other. 

In 2012, the USWNT’s come-from-behind extra-time semifinal win over Canada in London paved the way for a fourth gold medal, and Canada’s 1-0 semifinal win in the 2020 Tokyo Games secured their first-ever gold medal. The 2020 Summer Games remain the most recent win against the USWNT to date. 

Scouting Canada

Canada head coach Casey Stoney is officially in year two of her tenure with the program, and the squad is eager to turn the page on a lackluster 2025 that featured plenty of growing pains. 

Canada are 10th in the official FIFA rankings, their lowest since 2018, when they held fourth place. Despite the positive headlines Canada Soccer received upon hiring Stoney, following a drone scandal that led to the dismissal of Bev Priestman, the Canadians picked up a Pinatar Cup win and managed respectable wins in a string of friendlies. However, they closed out the year on a terrible skid, with losses to Japan, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United States. 

Stoney named a 24-player roster for the SheBelieves Cup, raising eyebrows with key players missing. Veteran players Adriana Leon, Shelina Zadorsky, Ashley Lawrence, and Sabrina D’Angelo were omitted, along with Jayde Riviere. Rising star attacker Olivia Smith had to withdraw following a concussion, and defender Megan Reid was called in. There are 13 players who play for NWSL clubs, six from European clubs, and four players represent the emerging Canadian league, NSL. 

The group is looking ahead after a big 4-1 against Colombia to open the competition, with goals by Vanessa Gilles, Janine Sonis,  Sydney Collins, and Nichelle Prince. 

Take a look at Canada’s complete roster:

Canada’s 2026 SheBelieves Cup squad

Goalkeepers (3): Kailen Sheridan (North Carolina Courage), Emily Burns (Nantes), Melissa Dagenais (Ottawa Rapid)

Defenders (7): Jade Rose (Manchester City), Vanessa Gilles (Bayern Munich), Sydney Collins (Bay FC), Marie Levasseur (Montpellier), Gabrielle Carle (Washington Spirit), Brooklyn Courtnall (Bay FC), Megan Reid (Denver Summit)

Midfielders (6): Julia Grosso (Chicago Stars), Simi Awujo (Manchester United), Jessie Fleming (Portland Thorns), Emma Regan (Denver Summit), Marie-Yasmine Alidou (Portland Thorns), Kaylee Hunter (AFC Toronto)

Forwards (8): Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign), Evelyne Viens (Roma), Nichelle Prince (Boston Legacy), Janine Sonis (Denver Summit), Holly Ward (Vancouver Rise), Delaney Baie Pridham (Ottawa Rapid), Annabelle Chukwu (Notre Dame Fighting Irish), Cloé Lacasse (Utah Royals)

Destined for penalties?

The 2026 SheBelieves Cup is stepping into its next decade. The tournament is marking its 11th year and doing so with an added twist. In a change from previous editions, all 2026 matches tied after regulation will go directly to penalty kicks rather than two overtime periods. Teams that win the penalty shootout will earn an extra point. 

The competition is still a round-robin style tournament, with teams getting three points for a win, one point for a tie after regulation, and an extra point for winning the penalty shootout. If teams are tied on points following the final matchday, the first tie-breaker will be goal difference, then most goals scored, then head-to-head result — regardless of who wins the penalty kick shootout. The final tiebreaker is based on fair play rules if needed. 

With Canada and the United States having key games decided by penalties in recent years, it’s not hard to imagine SheBelieves’ new tournament point system could come into play.