ANALYSIS – On Wednesday, the CANWNT revealed their 2026 CANWNT SheBelieves Cup Roster, with a few players from the Northern Super League (NSL), which included an AFC Toronto player, Kaylee Hunter.
Here is an analysis of the roster reveal, including the regular players on the roster, the surprises, and the disappointments seen with this roster.
2026 CANWNT SheBelieves Cup Roster: Four NSL Players Make the Roster
Well-Known Players That Made The Roster
Players that were expected to make the roster included veteran players such as Simi Awujo (a midfielder for Manchester United FC), Janine Sonis (forward and full-back for Denver Summit FC), Julia Grosso (midfielder for the Chicago Stars), Kailen Sheridan (goalkeeper for the North Carolina Courage), and Vanessa Gilles (centre-back for FC Bayern Munich). These are some of the highlighted players that traditionally make the CANWNT/CANXNT roster.
In fact, Gilles was the 2025 CANWNT/CANXNT Player of the Year. She has now won the award two years in a row. There are also other players who have noticed this. Back in 2024, this is what Kadeisha Buchanan (her traditional centre-back, who is unfortunately out because of injury) said about Gilles, according to Meaghan Johnson of TSN:
“I think we just gave her the reins to be that strong center back that we need and to be a goalscoring threat,” Buchanan said. “And I think from that, she gained confidence to want to lead the team from the back.”
There are some other noteworthy players on this list, including Nichelle Prince (Boston Legacy FC) and Emma Regan (Denver Summit FC).
For Regan, her transfer from AFC Toronto to Denver Summit FC was a groundbreaking moment for her career. This is what she said about moving to Denver earlier this year, according to the OneSoccer YouTube Account:
This move was a big one for the NSL as Regan became the first notable Canadian player to make the jump from the NSL to the NWSL.
Four NSL Players on the Roster
There are four NSL players on the roster. This includes AFC Toronto forward Kaylee Hunter and Vancouver Rise FC forward Holly Ward. In addition, Wednesday was a big day for the Ottawa Rapid FC as forward Delaney Baie Pridham and goalkeeper Mollie Dagenais both made the SheBelieves Cup roster.
What is important to note is that three of the four players who made the roster are all forwards. The CANWNT/CANXNT obviously sees a need for Canada to score more goals, as it is a major weakness for the national team right now.
Pridham led the NSL in scoring last year with 18 goals, Hunter was second with 14 goals, and Ward was tied for sixth in the NSL with six goals scored. Pridham was invited to the camp for the first time in November, but could not play because of VISA issues.
Kristina Kiss, the Ottawa Rapid FC technical director, had this to say about Pridham, according to The Canadian Press:
“That’s the hardest position in soccer. Scoring goals is never easy,” said Kiss. “DB has a knack for finding little pockets of space for herself and getting on the ball and creating chances. But finishing chances is a whole other story, and we’re really thrilled with how it’s gone so far.”
This is while Stoney expects Hunter to make her debut in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup. This is what Stoney said about Hunter, according to John Molinaro of the TFC Republic:
READ MORE: Janine Sonis Shines in Desiree Scott’s Final CANWNT Game
Brooklyn Courtnall: Another Player to Watch Out For
A newcomer to the roster is Bay FC centre-back, Brooklyn Courtnall. Courtnall was born and brought up in Los Angeles, but is able to play for Canada, thanks to her father, Russ Courtnall (born in Duncan, British Columbia), who is most famous for his time in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens.
Courtnall has already made an impression on Bay FC, as Bay FC head coach, Emma Coates, had this to say about her, according to the Bay FC website:
“We’re thrilled to have Brooklyn continue with us,” said Bay FC head coach Emma Coates. “She’s the type of player we want to invest in, bringing professionalism and competitiveness every day. We’re excited to see her grow and continue to make an impact this season. I’m sure Brooklyn will play a key part in the future of this club.”
READ MORE: Four Different CANWNT Goal Scorers in a 4-1 Win at BMO Field
With Kadeisha Buchanan (Chelsea FC) and Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham United FC) not on the roster because of injuries, finding a centre-back to go with Vanessa Gilles will be important in this window. Expect most of the playing time to go to Gilles and Jade Rose of the Manchester City Women’s FC. However, if there is a substitution to be made at the centre-back position, do not be surprised if Courtnall comes into the game.
Notable Players Missing/Injured
As touched on earlier, there are many injuries for the CANWNT/CANXNT. Other players besides Buchanan and Zadorsky include Sabrina D’Angelo (Aston Villa Women), Lysianne Proulx (Ipswich Town FC), and Jayde Riviere (Manchester United WFC). In fact, both D’Angelo and Proulx were called up to the team, but were sidelined from injury as outlined by Benedict Rhodes, the Managing Editor of Canadian Soccer Daily and Waking the Red.
However, the focus is on the players that were missing, most notably, Adriana Leon, a forward for the San Diego Wave FC, and Ashley Lawrence, a full-back and midfielder for OL Lyonnes. Casey Stoney explained why both players will not be with the national team for the 2026 SheBelieves Cup, according to the CANWNT/CANXNT head coach, Casey Stoney (Source: OneSoccer X Account on February 18, 2026):
Leon is third all-time in goals scored for the national team, while Lawrence is seventh all-time in assists delivered. Both players have well above 100 caps for the national teams. Leon, many times, has carried the load for scoring goals while Lawrence at one point was seen as the best player on the national team.
Seeing both names out is a shocker, but the CANWNT/CANXNT do need to make big changes after the disappointing year they had in 2025. Also, Leon being left off the team might partly explain why three of the four NSL players on the 2026 SheBelieves Cup roster are forwards.
In addition, AFC Toronto midfielder Nikayla Small is a player who can one day carry the red and white for the CANWNT/CANXNT national team and is a player to watch out for in the NSL. The need, it seems from the NSL, has been with the forwards, but there is no doubt that Small is a player who can also compete at the national level.
Games Coming Up in March
The return of Utah Royal’s Cloé Lacasse is another talking point as she returns from injury. This is Lacasse’s first call-up since October 2024, according to Mitchell Tierney for the OneSoccer website.
READ MORE: CANWNT Head Coach Casey Stoney: Former Lionesses Captain
The CANWNT/CANXNT will have three games next month. The first game is on March 1 at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST local time in Nashville, Tennessee), against Colombia at Geodis Park.
They then travel to the EST, where they will face the USWNT at 6:45 EST at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio. They then finish off the competition against Argentina at 12:30 EST at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.
All games for Canada will be shown live on OneSoccer and Telus. It can also be watched on OneSoccer.ca and through the OneSoccer app, as seen via the Canada Soccer Association (CSA) website.
Photo Credit: Amaya/AFC Toronto on July 18, 2025, at York Lions Stadium.
