The SheBelieves Cup will serve as a proving ground for U.S. players vying for a spot on the national women's soccer team's Olympic roster, head coach Vlatko Andonovski said on Wednesday.

The four-times World Cup winners play Canada on Thursday in the first of three games in less than seven days, a tough schedule for players looking to earn a trip to the Tokyo Games.

Injured captain Christine Sinclair, soccer's most prolific goal scorer, is among seven national team players unavailable for next week's SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, Canada Soccersaid on Saturday.

Sinclair and midfielder Diana Matheson did not travel to Orlando due to injury while goalkeeper Erin McLeod and defender Bianca St-Georges returned to their clubs after picking up injuries at camp, Canada Soccer said in a news release.

England Women's newly appointed interim coach Hege Riise named her first squad on Tuesday ahead of the team's friendly against Northern Ireland this month.

Riise, a World Cup winner with Norway in 1995 and an Olympic gold medallist in 2000, was named the Lionesses caretaker manager after head coach Phil Neville stood down to take over at Major League Soccer men's side Inter Miami last month.

Jesús Ferreira made his second game for the U.S. men's national team memorable with two goals and three assists in a 7-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago in Orlando, on Sunday.

The Colombia-born Ferreira, 20, debuted on Feb. 1, 2020, vs. Costa Rica — two months after gaining American citizenship. The FC Dallas striker did not get on the scoreboard in that game but more than made up for it against the Trinidadians.

United States and Toronto FC star Jozy Altidore will be held out of the national team's friendly against Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday with a minor muscle strain and amid transfer rumors.

U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter on Saturday said Altidore sustained a "very, very minor strain" two weeks ago and added that "a number of clubs" are interested in Altidore.

Japan is out. Argentina is in. It’s all absurd.

Less than a month before the 2021 SheBelieves Cup, the tournament has been forced into major changes. The 2011 World Cup champions pulled out of the tournament citing Covid-19 issues and were replaced by the 31st-ranked team in the world, one that struggles mightily for respect from its own federation.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin on Wednesday reiterated the ruling body's commitment to holding the rescheduled European Championship this year in 12 cities across the continent as originally planned.

The 24-nation event, which was due to take place in June-July last year, was postponed by 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament, scheduled to start on June 11, is to be played in 12 cities across Europe and Ceferin is also optimistic that fans will be allowed inside stadiums again.