Ashley Sanchez and Mallory Swanson have been recalled to the US women’s national team for two October friendlies against world No. 1 Spain.

Coach Emma Hayes named her 26-player squad on September 29. The Olympic champions face Spain at Audi Field in Washington on October 10 and at Subaru Park in Pennsylvania on October 13, building towards 2027 World Cup qualifying.

Sanchez, the NWSL’s leading scorer, returns after two years out of the national team. She has tied the league’s single-season scoring record with 20 goals in 26 matches for the North Carolina Courage.

Swanson is back after maternity leave, having not played for the US since the Paris Olympic final. Hayes cautioned against reading too much into her listing as a midfielder.

Naomi Girma also returns after an injury-hit year, while goalkeeper Claudia Dickey gets another chance to stake her claim as first choice. The Spain friendlies are the toughest tests of Hayes’s tenure so far, pitting the Olympic champions against the world champions. A strong showing would build momentum for World Cup qualifying, where the US will be expected to dominate.