USMNT to face Korea, Japan in Sept. friendlies

The United States men's nationalist squad volition instrumentality connected South Korea and Japan successful a brace of friendlies successful September, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced connected Tuesday.

The USMNT volition archetypal big South Korea connected Sept. 6 astatine Sports Illustrated Stadium successful Harrison, New Jersey, followed by a lucifer 3 days aboriginal against Japan astatine Lower.com tract successful Columbus, Ohio.

The matches volition supply manager Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT with a uncommon accidental to play friendlies against precocious prime opposition, with Japan presently 15th successful the FIFA rankings portion Korea is presently 23rd.

By the clip the matches are played, the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup volition beryllium little than a twelvemonth away, giving the U.S. invaluable acquisition arsenic it prepares to co-host the tourney with Canada and Mexico.

Japan has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, portion Korea is closing successful connected qualification arsenic well, and presently sits atop its radical with 2 matches to play.

The crippled with South Korea volition spot Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams instrumentality to the stadium wherever helium began his vocation with the New York Red Bulls successful MLS.

"Playing against Korea Republic successful Sports Illustrated Stadium volition beryllium peculiar due to the fact that it's the archetypal clip I'm backmost since I've near [to play successful Europe]," helium said arsenic portion of the U.S. Soccer announcement. "It's important arsenic we physique momentum towards 2026 successful beforehand of astonishing fans successful a large stadium and a large place."

The USMNT has a accidental to gully level successful the beingness bid against South Korea with its grounds presently sitting astatine 2W-3L-2D.

In the USMNT's past gathering against the Taegeuk Warriors connected Feb. 1, 2014, 2 goals from Chris Wondolowski led to a 2-0 triumph successful Carson, California. The astir celebrated gathering came successful the 2002 World Cup, erstwhile a extremity by Clint Mathis and a punishment footwear prevention by Brad Friedel earned the United States a 1-1 gully and a captious constituent successful the radical signifier that yet enabled the U.S. to advancement to the knockout rounds.

The U.S. and Japan person met conscionable 3 times since the inaugural lucifer betwixt the 2 sides successful 1993.

In 2006, a extremity and 2 assists from Taylor Twellman paced the USA to a 3-2 triumph successful a World Cup tune-up lucifer successful San Francisco. The teams squared disconnected again successful a pre-World Cup affable up of the 2022 tournament, with Japan prevailing, 2-0 successful Düsseldorf, Germany.

Prior to the 2 September friendlies, the USMNT volition instrumentality portion successful this summer's Gold Cup, wherever it volition vie successful a radical with Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.