SAN RAFAEL DE ALAJUELA, Costa Rica – First-year forward/midfielder Kiana Lopez Wilson of the Alabama State University women's soccer team was named to the Costa Rican squad ahead of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, as announced by the federation on Friday.
 
The rookie from Corsicana, Texas, joins a squad of 21 young women who will be led by head coach Ana Aguilar, a former assistant and interim head coach of the Costa Rican national squad. The team will travel to host nation Poland as they open first-round pool play in early September.
 
"I have no words to describe how I am feeling right now," said Kiana upon the news. "All I know is that God has directed my life from the very beginning. Even at my lowest, when I thought my career was over, he had a plan and to this day he still continues it. As for my aspirations, I think of two; to walk as Jesus this entire tournament and to score goals."
 
The team is filled with a number of Costa Rican club soccer players, including Lopez Wilson, who has been a member of AD San Carlos FF, a club in Ciudad Quesada. Additionally, just as fellow U-20 Costa Rican soccer players have appeared throughout all levels of American college soccer in the past, Lopez Wilson is joined by forward/midfielder Valeria Valverde, who is also a part of the Arizona Western College (NJCAA) women's soccer squad.
 
On the women's side of professional soccer, the U20 squad is typically the final stop before making the national team. Instead of relying on corporate academies like those in Europe or the United States, Costa Rica has a local league system managed by their governing body of women's soccer, Unión Femenina de Fútbol (UNIFFUT).
 
As for Lopez Wilson and her young career with the Lady Hornets, she has seen action in one outing in the 2026 campaign, a 29-minute substitution role against Southern Miss on August 13. Her mother, Alabama State head women's soccer coach Alicia Wilson, celebrated her accomplishment and shared the team's joint excitement for her future.
 
"Her dad [ASU assistant women's soccer coach Oscar Lopez] and I are very proud of her. All the hard work and sacrifices has allowed her to make another youth World Cup. She made the U17 FIFA World Cup in Morocco last October, and now Poland 2026. It's bittersweet for us, because we would also like for her to be here to compete with her Alabama State Soccer teammates; however, we know that this experience will be invaluable and will help our team in the near future!"
 
Costa Rica, who qualified for the U-20 Women's World Cup through the CONCACAF pathway, drew an assignment to Group E that includes North Korea (Korea DPR), Columbia and Portugal. The competition will be played in various venues throughout Poland, with the 52nd and final match taking place at Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź in Łódź on September 27.
 
First stage play in the worldwide tournament opens in Poland against Columbia (Sept. 7 at noon) and North Korea (Sept. 10 at 9 a.m.) at Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź before concluding group play against Portugal at Arena Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec on Sept. 13 at noon. All above times are listed in central time zone, while more information of where to follow Lopez Wilson's international journey can be found at the links above.