KANSAS CITY (Jan. 14, 2026) – The Kansas City Current has provided an update on the club’s roster as 2026 preseason camp begins. The team has 25 players under contract and an additional five non-rostered invitees for preseason training, which officially started Wednesday at The University of Kansas Health System Training Center. This will be the first preseason with newly-appointed head coach Chris Armas, who was announced Jan. 7.
The Current will spend the next two weeks in Kansas City before traveling to California until Feb. 15. While training in the Golden State, the club will partake in the Coachella Valley Invitational (CVI) and will play the San Diego Wave on Feb. 15 at 12:30 p.m. CT. More information about CVI can be found HERE. The full schedule of preseason exhibition matches will be released at a later date. Kansas City Current II will also be in California training alongside the first team.
Four KC Current players have been called up to the first United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) training camp of 2026. Midfielders Claire Hutton and Lo’eau LaBonta, defender Izzy Rodriguez and forward/midfielder Ally Sentnor will participate in the training camp from Jan. 17-27 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., as well as two friendlies against Paraguay on Jan. 24 and Chile on Jan. 27. The quartet will depart Kansas City on Jan. 16 and remain in California following the USWNT camp to rejoin the Current.
The club has added several new faces to the team following offseason acquisitions. Goalkeeper Marisa Jordan has joined the squad after Kansas City agreed to a trade with the North Carolina Courage in exchange for a 2026 international roster spot. The club has also added several collegiate standouts: forward Gianna Paul from the University of Alabama, defender Laney Rouse from the University of Virginia, defender Kolo Suliafu from the University of Washington and forward Amelia White from Penn State University. Additionally, defender Meila Brewer – an Overland Park native with a decorated U.S. Youth National Team resume – signed her first professional contract after one season at UCLA.
Kansas City will welcome non-rostered invitees this preseason in midfielder Kelsey Branson, goalkeeper Katie Cappelletti, forward Kayla Colbert and defender Sydney Jones. Branson recently concluded a four-year career at the University of Washington. The 2024 Atlantic-10 Goalkeeper of the Year with St. Joseph’s University, Cappelletti signed with the North Carolina Courage in May 2025 through the remainder of the season. Colbert and Jones, who previously spent time as injury replacement players for the Utah Royals, have been training with Kansas City Current II, reinforcing the club’s vision of a complete development pathway to professional opportunities within the KC Current organization. Additionally, forward Kyra Carusa will be joining the club for preseason as a non-rostered training player.
Defender Alana Cook will remain on the season-ending injury (SEI) list after she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus in May 2025. Goalkeeper Clare Gagne will also stay on SEI as she continues to recover from a head injury which occurred in training last season. Forwards Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper have been placed on SEI after sustaining respective lower body and foot injuries at the end of the 2025 NWSL regular season.
Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo, who has been on maternity leave since July 2025, will continue her maternity leave. Other personnel updates include defender Ellie Bravo-Young, née Wheeler, who got married in December and will use her married name, Bravo-Young. Defender Kayla Sharples, who was also married last month, will continue to use her maiden name.
2026 Kansas City Current Preseason Roster
Goalkeepers: Katie Cappelletti (NRI), Clare Gagne (SEI), Marisa Jordan, Lorena (INT)
Defenders: Elizabeth Ball, Ellie Bravo-Young, Meila Brewer, Alana Cook (SEI), Sydney Jones (NRI), Gabrielle Robinson, Izzy Rodriguez, Laney Rouse, Katie Scott, Kayla Sharples, Kolo Suliafu
Midfielders: Kelsey Branson (NRI), Vanessa DiBernardo (ML), Claire Hutton, Lo’eau LaBonta, Rocky Rodríguez, Ally Sentnor
Forwards: Kyra Carusa (NRTP), Temwa Chawinga (SEI), Kayla Colbert (NRI), Michelle Cooper (SEI), Debinha, Haley Hopkins, Mary Long, Gianna Paul, Amelia White
KEY
INT – International
ML – Maternity Leave
NRI – Non-Rostered Invitee
NRTP – Non-Rostered Training Player
SEI – Season-Ending Injury
The KC Current embarks on 2026 preseason training after one of the best regular seasons in NWSL history this past year. The club made history on Sept. 20 by winning the 2025 NWSL Shield, presented by CarMax, following its 2-0 win over Seattle Reign FC at CPKC Stadium. It was the first time in franchise history the Current won the Shield, which is awarded to the club with the best record during the regular season. Kansas City became the fastest club to win the Shield in NWSL history, doing so with five regular season games left.
In addition to winning the Shield, Kansas City set several NWSL records during the 2025 regular season, including points (65), wins (21), consecutive wins (9), home wins (11), road wins (9), shutouts (16), consecutive shutouts (9), consecutive shutout minutes (869), shutouts at home (8), multi-goal games (18), multi-goal wins (15), fewest goals conceded (13) and fewest minutes trailing (109).
