Two Washington Spirit Players Called Up to Italy Women’s National Team

Sofia Cantore, Lucia Di Guglielmo and Le Azzurre to take on Sweden and Denmark in two qualifiers for 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Washington, D.C. (02/19/2026) – Washington Spirit forward Sofia Cantore and defender Lucia Di Guglielmo have been called up to the Italy Women’s National Team for the side’s upcoming matches, the Italian Football Federation announced this week. Le Azzurre will host Sweden and Denmark in two qualifiers for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in early March.

Originally from Lecco, Lombardy in northern Italy, Cantore has appeared in over 45 international matches and scored five goals for the Italy senior team, making her debut for the squad in December 2020. Since joining the Spirit in August 2025, Cantore has appeared in 18 matches for the team, tallying five goals and an assist.

Di Guglielmo hails from Pisa near Tuscany’s Ligurian Sea coast and has been a mainstay of the Italian women’s national team since making her senior debut in 2021 at 23 years old. The defender has appeared for Italy at two UEFA Women’s Euro tournaments (2022, 2025) and one FIFA Women’s World Cup (2023). Di Guglielmo joined the Spirit this offseason and is poised to make her NWSL debut this season.

Italy’s March Schedule: 

• vs Sweden | Tuesday, March 3 at 12:15 p.m. EST (Stadio Oreste Granillo, Reggio Calabria, Italy) 

• vs Denmark | Saturday, March 7 at 12:15 p.m. EST (Stadio Romeo Menti, Vicenza, Italy) 

The Spirit will look to build on the side’s second consecutive NWSL Championship appearance in 2026. The team will kick off the regular season at home on Friday, March 13 when it hosts Portland Thorns FC in a rematch of last season’s thrilling home semifinal. Information on 2026 season ticket memberships is available HERE.

About The Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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