USWNT 2022 fixtures & results: SheBelieves Cup, Concacaf Championship & schedule in full

The U.S. women's national team faces an interesting year ahead, looking to put a difficult 2021 behind it before heading to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next summer to defend its title.

In the first major tournament under Vlatko Andonovski, the U.S. underwhelmed, losing to Canada for the first time in 20 years in the semi-finals of the women's soccer tournament at the Olympic Games.

Ultimately, the players did leave Japan with medals around their necks, beating Australia in the bronze medal match, but improvements will be expected this year.

The first fixtures for the USWNT this year came in the SheBelieves Cup in February. It has been difficult this year for U.S. Soccer to host elite opposition in the tournament, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the long travel needed for nations and new tournaments - such as England's Arnold Clark Cup - all factors.

Iceland, New Zealand and the Czech Republic were the three opponents for the U.S. this year, ranked 16th, 22nd and 24th in the world respectively.

The tournament was not as straight-forward for the USWNT as some might have imagined, though, starting with a goalless draw against the Czech Republic. Andonovski's would go on to lift the trophy though, winning the next two games.

The USWNT announced two friendlies for April with Uzbekistan, a nation ranked 45th in the world that failed to reach the final round of Women's World Cup qualifying in Asia.

After struggling to tie down elite opposition for the SheBelieves Cup, this was another example of the difficulties in a world still dealing with the impact of Covid-19. The Equalizer reported that "a top team from Asia" was scheduled to face the U.S. in that window instead, but quarantines and regulations made it