The USWNT is ready for October, announcing plans to play two friendlies against reigning champion Spain in the last FIFA window before World Cup qualifiers.
The US first faces the European titan at Washington, DC’s Audi Field on October 10th. The team later caps the series at Pennsylvania’s Subaru Park on October 13th.
“Two more fantastic matches,” said head coach Emma Hayes. “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.”
Back-to-back bouts with the top-ranked UEFA Nations League winner continues the No. 2 USWNT’s aggressive scheduling approach, after taking on No. 5 Japan and No. 7 Brazil earlier this year.
“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,” said Hayes.
The US will use the fall slate as a tuneup for November’s Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against No. 78 El Salvador, with a ticket to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil on the line.
Ticket sales for both USWNT vs Spain friendlies begin this week via Ticketmaster.
Last night’s USWNT friendly was anything but, as the US edged out Brazil 1-0 in a wild, choppy, and chaotic clash that saw eight red-card ejections.
The Fortaleza showdown tallied 28 fouls, including more than 10 yellow cards. Brazil coach Arthur Elias, members of his staff, and As Canarinhas stars Bia Zaneratto, Tarciane, Kerolin, and Ludmila all earned reds.
It also marked the first US win over Brazil on Brazilian soil since 1997, after forward Sophia Wilson forced a 63rd-minute own goal for her second contribution in as many games.
After a week of chippy football and packed stadiums, the USWNT should leave with a better feel for the 2027 World Cup’s expected conditions — though they didn’t exactly charm the tournament’s host country.
“It’s a huge lack of respect, both from the refereeing and from their players,” Brazil midfielder Angelina said of the tense environment. “One of the USWNT players gave an interview saying it was a really nice atmosphere. But on the field, she was saying we were trash, that we didn’t know how to play football.”
“My job is to be a role model for my players,” said US coach Emma Hayes. “I can only talk about my behavior, and my behavior was good.”
The USWNT is hunting redemption, closing out the month’s friendly series against Brazil in Fortaleza after dropping Saturday’s matchup 2-1 in São Paulo.
More than 40,000 fans are expected to fill the 57,000-seat stadium. That creates another boisterous atmosphere for a US national team still figuring out how to navigate the intensity.
“This is something else,” USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said after Game 1.
“The way football is played here, the way football is experienced here, the way the crowd leans in as a 12th player… was an incredible experience, and one that is going to intensify tomorrow.”
Hayes also pointed to a structural disadvantage. 21 of the USWNT’s 26 players currently play in the NWSL, with the US league fielding far fewer matches per four-year World Cup cycle compared to its overseas counterparts.
Mexico’s Liga MX Femenil plays about three times as many midweek games as the NWSL. Meanwhile, Europe’s top-flights engage in multiple in-season tournaments in addition to domestic commitments.
“We’ve got to be tougher in a lot of things, and we’ve got to be more durable," Hayes said. “We’ve got to expose ourselves to the elements of the game.”
Where to Watch Tonight's USWNT vs Brazil Friendly
The US kicks off against Brazil tonight at 8:30 PM ET, live on TNT.
The US women's national team lost the battle on Saturday, losing the USWNT vs Brazil showdown 2-1 in a tense, physical matchup inside São Paulo’s raucous Neo Química Arena.
Forward Sophia Wilson proved an early bright spot for the US, scoring the team’s lone goal in the second minute — her first international tally since 2024.
But the team quickly conceded, as Tainá Maranhão netted an 11th-minute strike before KC Current alum Bia Zaneratto notched the 14th-minute game-winner.
Despite failing to equalize, the USWNT built a strong second-half response, with coach Emma Hayes identifying positives amid the adversity.
“It was an amazing atmosphere and it’s one that, as much as I can prepare my team for this, you don’t really know until you experience it,” Hayes said of the crowd. “If we want things to be easy, we stay home and we play in LA or somewhere else. But we don’t choose easy.”
“I’m really proud of our team because we stayed level-headed and we still created opportunities,” captain Lindsey Heaps said. “But it’s about having that experience to get that goal back and walk away with a result.”
Where to Watch USWNT vs Brazil Friendly
The US will try to split the series on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET, live on TNT.
The USWNT is hitting the road, traveling to Brazil in June to play two friendlies against the 2027 World Cup host on its home soil.
The US opens the series at São Paulo’s Neo Química Arena on June 6th before closing out the break at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza on June 9th.
“I’m so pleased we were able to schedule these games," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said. “We want to play the best teams in the most difficult environments at venues across the world as often as we can, and these two games check all those boxes.”
The USWNT has often sussed out major tournament locations via friendlies, visiting Canada ahead of the 2015 World Cup, France in early 2019, and New Zealand in early 2023.
The US has faced As Canarinhas six times in Brazil — most recently in a 2014 friendly series — while the two women’s soccer powerhouses last met in California, resulting in April 2025’s 1-1 friendly split.
“We need more games in which every fan in the stadium is cheering loudly against us, and I’m looking forward seeing how our team performs and grows in these adverse conditions,” Hayes continued.
How to Watch the USWNT vs Brazil June 2026 Friendlies
The USWNT takes on Brazil on June 6th at 5:30 PM ET, live on TBS.
The USWNT sealed the deal on Friday, silencing Japan 3-0 to return to league play with a 2-1 friendly series win.
All three goals came in the second half. Defender Naomi Girma broke the stalemate off a corner kick, before midfielder Rose Lavelle doubled the lead on a Trinity Rodman assist. Then, defender Kennedy Wesley subsequently polished things off with her first-ever senior team goal.
“I think you could feel that there was a goal coming,” Wesley said postgame. “We had a lot of good chances... The team has been working so hard to wrap this camp up on a good note and show all the details that we have been working on, so it was a great showing from the group.”
“I think we’ve been really clear about what’s important to us, the process is always of the highest order,” said US manager Emma Hayes. “Have we made progress in these three games? A million percent.”
Friday’s lineup drew from the previous starting XIs: veterans coming off a win and a young squad smarting from a loss. The team managed to effectively hold possession while generating attacking power against an organized Japan.
Defender Tierna Davidson earned her first start of the series as she works her way back from last year’s ACL tear. Up front, Rodman teamed up with Alyssa Thompson and Sophia Wilson to form another magnetic partnership.
“You can’t become elite without rehearsal, failure, and learning — it doesn’t go in a straight line,” Hayes continued. “Of course I want to win every game, but not at the expense of what we’re trying to build.”
USWNT Rumored to Face Brazil in June Friendly
FIFA’s next international window arrives in June, as recent rumors link the US to a showdown with 2027 World Cup host Brazil in São Paulo.
USWNT vs Japan kicks off for all the marbles tonight, as the elite women’s soccer nations enter tonight’s series rubber match with one win apiece.
The US opened the three-friendly showdown with a veteran-fueled 2-1 win on Saturday, before the Nadeshiko turned the tide with Tuesday’s 1-0 shutout.
“I think we dominated a lot of really good things without having the secret sauce,” US manager Emma Hayes said after Japan snapped the team’s 10-game winning streak.
“We had a lot of control, and that’s a really good thing. But it’s like, alright, with all that control, what can we do?” midfielder Lindsey Heaps said.
“It’s that finishing phase. We had three, four chances at the end there. Continuing to build the connections in the final third is super important for us.”
Hayes opted for a full roster rotation between the first and second games, but tonight’s decider will likely feature a more balanced mix of seasoned experience and youthful firepower.
However, Hayes hasn’t yet adopted a win-now approach, even as the USWNT inches closer to November’s World Cup qualifiers.
“If I chose feeling good about everything, I’d make much different choices,” Hayes told reporters. “I’m a developer of talent — I believe in the combination of winning for today and tomorrow.”
How to Watch Friday's USWNT vs Japan Friendly
The US kicks off against Japan tonight at 9 PM ET, live on TNT.
Japan got the best of the US last night, as the world No. 5 Nadeshiko snapped the No. 2 US national team's 10-game winning streak with a 1-0 USWNT vs Japan win in rainy Seattle.
Despite maintaining the lion’s share of possession, the US struggled to advance the ball past Japan’s counter-press, conceding Maika Hamano’s first-half strike before failing to net the equalizer.
“When you can push yourself to play against the very best opponents in every situation, that is how you improve,” USWNT manager Emma Hayes said postgame.
After a veteran group secured Saturday’s opening win, Hayes opted to give a younger set some experience by swapping out her entire starting XI.
20-year-old midfielder Claire Hutton became the youngest player to wear the captain’s armband since 2001, with Tuesday’s lineup averaging 23.9 caps — compared to the weekend’s 56.3.
“We’ve got players that have some of the recipe, and they’re trying to implement it in their entirety, but it's a work in progress, and I think if I play solely to win, we maybe don’t change a lot in these games,” Hayes said of her choices.
“I don’t regret those decisions. I just know when a player shines against a certain type of opponent, for example, teams we might have played in January, let me see what you look like against Japan.”
How to Watch Friday's USWNT vs Japan Friendly
The series now moves to Colorado, as the rubber match kicks off on Friday at 9 PM ET, live on TNT.
USWNT vs Japan returns to the pitch tonight, with the two teams set to kick off the second of three April friendlies — with roster rotation on the agenda and a 10-game winning streak on the line.
The US opened the window with Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Nadeshiko, fueled by goals from veteran midfielders Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps.
“I want the whole group to experience the highest level game,” US coach Emma Hayes said Monday.
“So, what a great situation we're in to be able to put another team out tomorrow to get that exposure against one of the best sides in the world. Because you cannot close gaps until you identify what they are, and you can't do that when you're comfortable, and you absolutely can't do that when you're always the dominant side.”
Leaning into the youth movement, the US could combine a younger midfield trio with speedy attackers tonight, while possibly taking a hit in central defense.
After a training injury took center back Emily Sonnett out of Saturday’s match, Hayes opted to pair newcomer Kennedy Wesley with starter Naomi Girma on the backline.
Angel City defender Emily Sams could step in should Sonnett remain unavailable — with novice outside backs Lilly Reale and Avery Patterson primed to pick up the slack.
How to Watch Tuesday's USWNT vs Japan Friendly
The USWNT takes on Japan tonight at 10 PM ET, live on TNT.
Saturday's USWNT vs Japan matchup ended in a 2-1 victory, as veterans Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps stepped up to take the first of three April friendlies between the women's soccer titans.
Lavelle struck in the ninth minute for her 28th career goal in her 100th USWNT start. Lavelle became the 31st player to reach the milestone, passing Shannon Boxx and Joy Fawcett to claim No. 24 on the all-time US scoring list.
Heaps doubled the lead early in the second half. With Rose Lavelle providing the assist, Heaps became the 16th USWNT player to register 40 career goals.
Japan answered in the 61st minute. Substitute Riko Ueki redirected a header past goalkeeper Claudia Dickey. Despite appearing marginally offside on replays, the strike marked the first goal the USWNT conceded in 2026.
"Twelve months ago, we might have drawn this game," said US manager Emma Hayes postgame. "The progress is in staying in the game and not conceding a second goal."
Hayes deployed veteran midfield trio Lavelle, Heaps, and Coffey, while giving forward Sophia Wilson her first national team start since the 2024 Paris Olympics. Wilson returned after giving birth to her daughter in August 2025, becoming the 18th mother to play for the USWNT.
"I'm proud of her," Hayes said of the striker. "It takes a bit of time to find that rhythm, and I think she gave it everything she could."
Wilson drew the eighth-minute foul that led to Lavelle's opening goal. She later combined with Heaps for a dangerous chance in the 21st minute, before exiting the match in the 67th minute.
Dickey finished the game with five saves. She made a close-range stop on a corner kick in the 79th minute, before collecting a looping header on the final play to preserve the victory.
How to Watch the Next USWNT vs Japan Friendly
The USWNT faces Japan again on Tuesday at 10 PM ET at Seattle's Lumen Field, live on TNT.