CHICAGO (July 25, 2024) – After a year-and-a-half of talent identification camps, U.S. Women’s Futsal National Team head coach Marcia Tafarel has called up 18 players to take part in the team’s first full training camp to be held July 28-Aug. 2 at the Darlington School in Rome, Ga.
As part of U.S. Soccer’s strategic pillar to develop winning teams, Tafarel began guiding the potential Futsal WNT player pool through a rigorous talent identification process in March 2023, and has selected the first group of players that will begin working toward qualification for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup to be held next year in the Philippines.
"This first full U.S. Women's Futsal National Team camp is a milestone for women's futsal in the United States,” Tafarel said. “Along with helping us take us our first steps toward international competition, it is also a big step in promoting the sport and laying the groundwork for developing a competitive National Team to inspire future generations of female futsal players. We look forward to the work ahead with this group as we maintain our focus on qualifying for next year’s Futsal World Cup.”
The 18-player squad represents nine different states, with California leading the way with six selections, followed by Maryland (four), Virginia (two), Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York. Notably, goalkeeper Gabby Batmani (San Jose, Calif.) has earned 12 caps for the U.S. Beach Soccer Women’s National Team since 2022.
As part of the Federation’s strategy to encourage, enable and celebrate the game in all of its forms, U.S. Soccer announced plans to organize the Futsal WNT at its 2022 Annual General Meeting, making it one of nine teams under the Federation’s Extended National Teams program.
In December 2022, FIFA announced it had approved the addition of a FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup to its slate of international competitions with the first edition set to take place in 2025. UEFA has staged a European Women’s Futsal Championship since 2019.
Key: Fixo = Defender; Ala = Winger / Midfielder; Pivo = Target / Forward
GOALKEEPERS (3): Gabby Batmani (San Jose, Calif.), Martha Lord (Bedford, N.H.), Michelle Mello (Orlando, Fla.)
FIXOS (5): Lauren Deckert (Fort Thomas, Ky.), Jordan Felton (Waldorf, Md.), Viet-Thy Tran (Santa Clara, Calif.), Hayley Wilson (Leonardtwn, Md.) Zaneta Wyne (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
ALAS (6): Nicole Bermudez (Oceanside, N.Y.), Jillian Dorghoud (Woodbridge, Va.), Ashlin Fuentes (Lanham, Md.), Janae Chantell Gonzalez Braun (Folsom, Calif.), Sarah Mirr (Pleasanton, Calif.), Farrell Pomponio (Little Egg Harbor, N.J.)
PIVOS (4): Carlie Banks (Peachtree City, Ga.), Roxy Kamal (San Jose, Calif.), Paige Pierson (Sterling, Va.), Sarah Martin (Bowie, Md.)
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, it has aligned its efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, and commitment to participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.