The U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) will face reigning World Cup champion Spain in a pair of high-profile friendlies this October, as both nations continue their preparations for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The federations announced Monday that the two teams—currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world—will meet Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., followed by a second match on Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
High-Stakes Preparation for the 2027 World Cup
These matches serve as critical tests for the U.S. ahead of the 2027 World Cup. While Spain has already qualified for the tournament, the U.S. still needs to secure its passage. The Americans are scheduled to compete at the Concacaf W Championship in November in Greater Dallas, where they must defeat No. 78-ranked El Salvador to advance. USWNT head coach Emma Hayes emphasized the importance of securing these matchups. “Two more fantastic matches,” Hayes said in a written statement. “We’ve desperately wanted to get Spain on our schedule, but the difficulties of scheduling the top teams during the women’s international calendar are well known, so to be able to get these two games on the East Coast will be the perfect tests before we head into World Cup qualifying at the end of the year.” The October friendlies mark the first action for the U.S. team since facing No. 7 Brazil last month, a series that resulted in a 2-1 loss and a 1-0 victory.
A Rivalry Renewed
The upcoming games represent the fifth time the USWNT has played Spain. The Americans have won three of the four previous encounters. The most recent clash took place in October 2022, when Spain defeated the U.S. 2-0 in an away friendly in Pamplona. Spain enters the matchup with significant momentum, having held the No. 1 FIFA ranking following their 2023 World Cup victory in Australia. The roster features several of the world’s most decorated players, including: * Aitana Bonmatí: Barcelona midfielder and three-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner. * Alexia Putellas: London City Lionesses midfielder and two-time Ballon d’Or recipient. * Mariona Caldentey: Arsenal forward. According to U.S. Soccer, these matches will be the 18th and 19th in U.S. history to feature the world’s top two ranked teams. The Americans hold a record of 11-0-6 in such encounters.
Personnel and Event Details
The U.S. squad enters the October window with the potential to reunite its primary attacking frontline. The trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson, and Mallory Swanson is on track to play together for the first time since the Olympics. Wilson and Swanson had previously missed extended time while on maternity leave. Before the first match at Audi Field, the U.S. will honor retired star Crystal Dunn. Dunn, a veteran of the 2019 World Cup-winning team and the 2024 Olympic gold medal squad, was the 2015 NWSL MVP while playing for the Washington Spirit. The first 2,000 fans to arrive at the Washington match will receive a commemorative Dunn bobblehead. The U.S. team plans to train at the new national training center outside of Atlanta for several days prior to arriving in Washington. Tickets for both games will be available to the general public starting Thursday.
Find more reporting in our Sport news section.
