Kailen Sheridan will have an opportunity to guard Canada’s goal in France. (Photo courtesy of Sky Blue FC)

HOWELL, N.J. — Sky Blue FC goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan has been named to her first World Cup team. She will head to France to represent Canada in the Women’s World Cup this summer as Canada announced its roster Saturday.

Sheridan, a 23-year-old goalkeeper from Whitby, Ontario, has been training with Canada since May 11 after being called up to preliminary World Cup roster to represent her country for its send-off matches.

“I’m incredibly honored and proud to be representing Canada in the World Cup,” Sheridan said. “Every time you put on the jersey and work with this group of women it is an amazing opportunity. We have a tough road ahead of us and we know that, but we are also very confident that we are up for the challenge and are excited for the journey ahead.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing Estelle [Johnson, Sky Blue FC teammate] and Michaela [Abam, former Sky Blue FC teammate] in the first game, I know their team will be tough competitors and know that they will give us a good run. But we are taking each day as it comes, and we are more prepared than ever. We’re going towards that’s #1 and won’t let anything hold us back!”

Sheridan has been the starting goalkeeper for Sky Blue FC since 2017, when she was drafted in the NWSL College Draft, making 49 appearances and 210 saves.

Canada is in Group E of the World Cup along with Cameroon, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The Women’s World Cup kicks off June 7 and Canada’s first match is June 10 against Cameroon (3 p.m. ET) at Stade de la Mosson in Montepellier. Canada will face New Zealand June 15 (3 p.m. ET) at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble. The Maple Leafs’ last match of the group stage will be June 20 (noon ET) against the Netherlands at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.