USMNT will host Ecuador and Australia
Games to be held at Q2 Stadium and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Both opponents are FIFA top-25 nations aS
WHAT HAPPENED?
As part of their ongoing build-up to the 2026 World Cup, the United States men’s national team will play a pair of friendlies in October against Ecuador and Australia. Z on Monday.
The Americans will first play Ecuador on October 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Four days later, on October 14, the team will meet Australia at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, with that match scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET.
Ecuador and Australia are both currently inside FIFA’s top 25 rankings and have already secured their spots in the 2026 World Cup. Australia, known as the Socceroos, are ranked 24th in the world, while Ecuador, or La Tricolor, are ranked 25th. The U.S. are sitting at No. 15 in the latest rankings.
These October games will follow two friendlies scheduled for September against top-tier Asian sides, Japan and South Korea. All four matches fall within official FIFA international windows, which could allow head coach Mauricio Pochettino to call up a full-strength squad for the first time since taking charge.
Historically, the U.S. hasn’t faced Ecuador or Australia very frequently. Against Ecuador, the Americans have an even 5-5-5 record. As for the Socceroos, the U.S. has played them just three times, with one win, one loss, and one draw. The last meeting came ahead of the 2010 World Cup, where the U.S. earned a 3-1 victory.
The Americans have been dominant at both upcoming venues. At Q2 Stadium in Austin, the U.S. has won all six matches they’ve played there. In Colorado’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the team is also undefeated, with three wins in three games.
SUPPORT FOR TEXAS
U.S. Soccer, along with AT\&T and American Airlines, will contribute aid to communities in Central Texas that have been affected by recent flooding. Support efforts will be coordinated through each organization’s community initiative programs.
WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?
In September, the U.S. will test themselves against Asian powerhouses South Korea and Japan in friendly matches as they continue their preparations for the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
