USWNT coach Emma Hayes' undefeated Hello Kitty hat, plus: 16 NWSL things to watch

Christopher Hanewinckel / Imagn Images Share article Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic’s weekly women’s soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Welcome to Full Time, where we’re still recovering from the Megan Rapinoe-Sue Bird breakup news. Sigh. Coming up: Two things became clear during the last international window: Emma Hayes loves a good food metaphor, and she might not lose when she’s wearing the Hello Kitty cap pictured above (more on that in a sec). The United States women’s national soccer team put itself through a proper three-game test against fifth-ranked Japan over the last 10 days: a 2-1 win in San Jose, Calif., on April 11, a 1-0 loss in Seattle on April 14 and a 3-0 statement in Commerce City, Colo., on April 17. Takeaway: Still very much a work in progress, but the potential is obvious when it clicks. Hayes, meanwhile, explained everything in relation to a kitchen. Not any kitchen, the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant. The team, in her telling, is still learning the recipe, not just starters and a decent main, but the  “dessert,” too. Our translation: She wants her players to be consistent and ruthless, but with a dash of surprising edge, all at once. The kind of performance that leaves nothing on the plate. In her big test against another strong team, Hayes curated her squads for each game like a chef who refuses to serve the same dish twice: All of it aimed toward 2027. She’s still searching for the “secret sauce”: chemistry, structure, timing, the stuff that turns a good side into a champion. But the real star in Colorado? The hat. A navy USWNT cap with a tiny Hello Kitty stitched on the front, and apparently, an undefeated charm. “I love Japan, I love Sanrio,” Hayes said, casually, as if she hadn’t just stumbled into a superstition. We looked for the hat, but it’s not exactly easy to find from verified sellers. It’s seemingly not available to the public on the official U.S. Soccer site, but we found these options instead. Might be for the best. Some things, you don’t mess with. Is there a word in any language for “a rivalry that oozes mutual respect such that even though one side has won about three-quarters of their 40-plus meetings, their styles of play complement each other in ways that guarantee they’ll make everyone better when they compete and also provide lots of entertainment”? No? Well, that’s the best way to describe the USWNT-Nadeshiko relationship after this month’s friendlies. Now that Japan has begun to incorporate more gritty physicality into its game, these matchups have taken on more of the appearance of a traditional rivalry. But ultimately, these are two sides that have known a lot about each other and continue to learn from each other each time they play. To me, that’s the best kind of rivalry. What do you think: Is USWNT-Japan a true rivalry? Email us your thoughts at fulltime@theathletic.com. We (Melanie and Tamerra) released the third edition of our USWNT World Cup roster predictions last week, and while there haven’t been many changes to the players we’ve selected or swapped, it’s worth digging in now. We are witnessing an intensifying battle for the No. 1 goalkeeper position in real time, and the returns of key players including Wilson, Michelle Cooper and Tierna Davidson have shifted the bench a bit for the defenders and forwards. That’s partly why we both left Washington Spirit center back Tara Rudd off our rosters this time around. Cooper’s return to the national team also solidified her place above Emma Sears, but still behind Rodman on the wing, which is also reflected in our latest prediction. See our full predictions here. Iranian players continue careers in Australia Two members of Iran’s women’s soccer team are planning to continue their playing careers in Australia and said they’re starting “the process of rebuilding (their) lives.” Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were among seven players who sought and were granted humanitarian asylum in Australia after the Asian Cup in March. Five have since returned to Iran. These two stayed. Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh have trained with Brisbane Roar FC, a first step toward normalcy. Read our full report. It’s been a years-long debate: Should the NWSL flip its calendar to a fall-to-spring format? Last year, commissioner Jessica Berman said the league was “on notice,” and last month, she repeated that the league was analyzing the potential change. But, as ESPN first reported, the question is expected to be put to a vote later this month when the NWSL’s board of governors convenes. Meanwhile, the NWSL said Friday that “no decision has been made at this time” to flip the calendar. This is an ongoing story that is likely to evolve over the next two weeks — stay tuned. The NWSL is back after what felt like a looong international break. We’re running back our “16 things” bit for some storylines to follow. First, 1) will Racing Louisville get their first season win against Orlando Pride? Or will 2) Barbra Banda score and reclaim her place at the top of the Golden Boot race? She is currently in 3) a seven-way tie for second. That brings us to 4) the league-leading Kiki Van Zanten, with four goals. Will she and 5) the fifth-placed Houston Dash keep their hot start against the North Carolina Courage? We also have 6) appointment viewing with the Kansas City Current facing the Washington Spirit at Audi Field on Friday. What makes this one interesting: 7) Both teams have had a sluggish start to 2026, with 8) the Spirit hoping to build on their first win on April 5. 9) Thirteenth-placed Gotham are clawing their way back from the bottom of the table as they return home to face Bay FC. 10) Guro Reiten is expected to join the reigning NWSL champions following her call-up to Norway for European World Cup qualifiers. 11) The San Diego Wave will look to retain their No. 1 position against Denver Summit. We promise you: You won’t want to miss that match. In keeping with the Wave, 12) we are all eagerly waiting for Cat Macario’s NWSL debut. 13) Boston Legacy is still searching for their first-ever win when they travel to Chicago to face the Stars, which recently saw 14) USWNT standout Mal Swanson return to training. A fixture you won’t want to miss is 15) Angel City versus Portland Thorns, who are two of the best teams in the league right now. 16) Last, but certainly not least: Utah Royals are traveling to Seattle Reign, with both teams looking to continue their three-match unbeaten streaks. FIFA quota rule: After soccer’s governing body announced a new coaching mandate last month requiring all teams in women’s tournaments to employ at least one female head coach or assistant coach on their staff, among other stipulations, Megan Feringa and Charlotte Harpur talked to female coaches about what they actually think of the rule. Test run? This year’s men’s World Cup was supposed to provide a blueprint for the 2031 women’s edition, as the U.S. prepares to co-host both. Instead, this year’s controversy-plagued lead-in is hindering the 2031 bid’s momentum, as Melanie writes. Under pressure: Caoimhe O’Neill spoke with experts, including one who has worked with the England women’s team, about how athletes keep calm in clutch moments. Plenty for non-athletes to learn in here, too. 📫 Love Full Time? These stories can also be found on Yahoo’s women’s sports hub, in partnership with The Athletic. Also, check out our other newsletters. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms