CARY, N.C. (Feb. 28, 2026) — Four North Carolina Courage players were called up by their respective national teams for the March International Window, including Riley Jackson (United States), Manaka Matsukubo (Japan), Kailen Sheridan (Canada), and Evelyn Ijeh (Sweden).

Both Jackson and Sheridan will compete in the SheBelieves Cup, facing off against each other on Wednesday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Courage are hosting a watch party for the match at E.O’s Athletic Bar (341 W Main St., Durham, NC 27701). Space at the venue is limited, so anyone planning to attend should RSVP here.

Jackson’s call-up for the SheBelieves Cup is her second at the senior level, making her debut with the United States in January after shining for the U-23 squad in 2025. Sheridan has 31 clean sheets in 63 caps for Canada.

Manaka, the reigning NWSL Midfielder of the Year, will look to help Japan secure its first AFC Women’s Asian Cup title since 2018 and secure qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four semifinalists for the tournament will earn direct qualification for next year’s World Cup, while the four teams who lost in the quarterfinals will head to a playoff for the remaining places.

Japan’s group for the tournament includes Chinese Taipei, India, and Vietnam. The top two teams from each group, as well as the two best third-place teams, will advance to the knockout stages.

Ijeh and Sweden will face Italy and Serbia in the first matches of the 2026 European Qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup, with the winners of each four-team group in League A automatically qualifying for next year’s tournament. The remaining teams from each group will compete in a play-off phase for the remaining places. Sweden was drawn in Group A1 alongside Denmark, Italy, and Serbia.

Ijeh, who joined the Courage this offseason following a permanent transfer from AC Milan, has one goal in three caps for the senior Swedish national team, and shone for the country at the U-23 level.

Courage International Schedule

Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. ET, Canada vs. Colombia

Sunday, March 1, at 5 p.m. ET, United States vs Argentina

Tuesday, March 3, at 12:15 p.m. ET, Sweden vs Italy

Wednesday, March 4, 12 a.m. ET, Japan vs. Chinese Taipei

Wednesday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. ET, United States vs Canada

Saturday, March 7, at 10 a.m. ET, Sweden vs Serbia

Saturday, March 7, 6 a.m. ET, Japan vs. India

Saturday, March 7, at 12:30 p.m. ET, Canada vs. Argentina

Saturday, March 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET, United States vs. Colombia

Tuesday, March 10, 4 a.m. ET, Japan vs. Vietnam