Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz have been elected to the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2027 in their first year of eligibility. The Hall’s announcement, dated 12 November 2026, names six inductees, with the ceremony scheduled for 16 April 2027 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
The election and ceremony are separate milestones
Jozy Altidore, David Beckham, Lothar Osiander and Tatu complete the class. Rapinoe, Ertz and Altidore were elected from the Player ballot, Beckham and Tatu from the Veteran ballot, and Osiander from the Builder ballot. The announcement is a 2026 decision about the 2027 class; it does not mean the formal induction ceremony has already taken place.
Rapinoe’s Hall biography records 63 goals and 73 assists in 203 United States appearances. She won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups and collected the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the latter tournament. Her NWSL career with Seattle and OL Reign spanned ten seasons from 2013 to 2023.
Ertz’s contribution across two defensive roles
The Hall’s profile of Ertz lists 123 international appearances, 20 goals, two World Cup titles and two U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year awards. She played at centre-back during the 2015 title run before helping the 2019 champions as a defensive midfielder.
Their shared election recognises different contributions within the same successful generation: Rapinoe’s attacking production and chance creation, and Ertz’s defensive work across two positions. Those records explain why the class celebrates more than one kind of influence on a team, rather than measuring every player by goals alone.
Megan Rapinoe celebrating during the London 2012 Olympics; archival, not the Hall of Fame announcement or April 2027 ceremony. Image credit: Joel Solomon — Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 2.0.
