Multiple NWSL players, including three from the Seattle Reign, have been selected to represent their respective national teams at the Cyprus Cup from March 1-8. The Reign had the trio of Jess Fishlock, Rebekah Stott, and Rachel Corsie selected. Also named to tournament rosters were FC Kansas City’s Katie Bowen and Boston Breakers’ signing Rosie White.
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Stott, Bowen, and White will compete for New Zealand. All three represented their country at the Rio 2016 Olympics, but only Bowen has appeared in the NWSL. Kansas City selected Bowen with the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NWSL Draft and she went on to appear 13 times for the Blues. Stott was signed by Seattle in January while Boston signed Rosie White last November. Fellow Kiwi and NWSL player Abby Erceg was named to the tournament roster but is not expected to compete as she recently announced her retirement from international play.
Fishlock was named to the Wales roster. Wales most recently competed in the UEFA Women’s Euro Qualifying tournament where they failed to advance out of the group stage after finishing third behind Austria and group winners Norway. Fishlock completed an off-season stint in the Australian W-League as player-coach to the Melbourne Victory, a team which included her Seattle teammate Rebekah Stott. The Wales midfielder led the Victory to their second consecutive championship.
Corsie was included in the Scotland roster. Scotland will use the tournament to prepare for the 2017 UEFA Women’s Euro tournament. They qualified for the finals as the top-ranked second-place team from the qualifying tournament’s group stage. Their roster also includes former NWSL MVP Kim Little.
12 teams will compete in the Cyprus Cup. New Zealand and Scotland were both drawn into Group B alongside Austria and Korea Republic. Wales is in Group C with the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland. Group A is made up of Belgium, Italy, Korea DPR, and Switzerland.