USWNT announces October friendly against Spain

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Megan Rapinoe scores a goal against Spain during the 2019 Women's World Cup. (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

The U.S womenโ€™s national soccer team will travel to Pamplona, Spain, to take on the Spanish national team on Oct. 11 at El Sadar Stadium.

The fixture, announced Monday, is part of a two-match European swing. The USWNT first will face off against England at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 7.

The October friendlies come after a landmark 2022 UEFA Womenโ€™s EURO tournament, with England charging to the championship after knocking out Spain in the quarterfinals.

โ€œI know Spain fell short of their goals at the Euros, but they are a fantastic team, one of the best in the world, with world class players all over the field and as a coaching staff, we are really looking forward to the challenges these two games will present for our team,โ€ USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski said. โ€œAway matches against England and Spain are among the most difficult and high-profile friendlies a team can play and having those experiences will be valuable in many different ways for our continuing preparations for the World Cup.โ€

The USWNT and Spain have met three times before, with the United States pulling out three tight victories, including a 2-1 win in the 2019 World Cupโ€™s round of 16.

Spain is one of nine European teams already qualified for the 2023 FIFA Womenโ€™s World Cup, while the USWNT qualified for both the World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics after their Concacaf W Championship run.