The United States males’s nationwide workforce will tackle South Korea and Japan in a pair of friendlies in September, the U.S. Soccer Federation introduced on Tuesday.
The USMNT will first host South Korea on Sept. 6 at Sports activities Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, adopted by a match three days later towards Japan at Decrease.com subject in Columbus, Ohio.
The matches will present coach Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT with a uncommon alternative to play friendlies towards prime quality opposition, with Japan presently fifteenth within the FIFA rankings whereas Korea is presently twenty third.
By the point the matches are performed, the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup can be lower than a 12 months away, giving the U.S. invaluable expertise because it prepares to co-host the match with Canada and Mexico.
Japan has already certified for the 2026 World Cup, whereas Korea is closing in on qualification as nicely, and presently sits atop its group with two matches to play.
The sport with South Korea will see Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams return to the stadium the place he started his profession with the New York Pink Bulls in MLS.
“Taking part in towards Korea Republic in Sports activities Illustrated Stadium can be particular as a result of it is the primary time I am again since I’ve left [to play in Europe],” he mentioned as a part of the U.S. Soccer announcement. “It is vital as we construct momentum in the direction of 2026 in entrance of fantastic followers in a fantastic stadium and a fantastic place.”
The USMNT has an opportunity to attract stage within the lifetime sequence towards South Korea with its document presently sitting at 2W-3L-2D.
Within the USMNT’s final assembly towards the Taegeuk Warriors on Feb. 1, 2014, two objectives from Chris Wondolowski led to a 2-0 victory in Carson, California. Probably the most well-known assembly got here within the 2002 World Cup, when a purpose by Clint Mathis and a penalty kick save by Brad Friedel earned the USA a 1-1 draw and a vital level within the group section that finally enabled the U.S. to progress to the knockout rounds.
The U.S. and Japan have met simply thrice because the inaugural match between the 2 sides in 1993.
In 2006, a purpose and two assists from Taylor Twellman paced the USA to a 3-2 win in a World Cup tune-up match in San Francisco. The groups squared off once more in a pre-World Cup pleasant forward of the 2022 match, with Japan prevailing, 2-0 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Previous to the 2 September friendlies, the USMNT will participate on this summer time’s Gold Cup, the place it’s going to compete in a gaggle with Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.
Mexico additionally introduced Tuesday that it’s going to face the identical opponents because the USMNT in September, with a match towards Japan on the Oakland Coliseum on June 6 and towards South Korea three days later at a location but to be introduced.
