ROAD TO 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GAINS MOMENTUM IN SEPTEMBER
ATLANTA (May 13, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team will take on Asian powers Korea Republic and Japan as excitement continues to build ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
The matches will provide the USMNT valuable experience against top quality teams from the Asian Football Confederation, a potential preview of opponents and styles they could face next summer. Japan holds the distinction of becoming the first team to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They have qualified for the tournament’s final competition eight consecutive times and have reached the Round of 16 of the last two World Cups.
The USA will first host Korea Republic on Sept. 6 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J. Kickoff from the home of the New York Red Bulls is set for 5 p.m. ET, with the match broadcast live on TNT and Telemundo, and streamed on Max, Universo, and Peacock.
USA-Japan, presented by Allstate, comes nearly 25 years after the USMNT’s first visit to Columbus, Ohio and what has become a special place in U.S. Soccer history. Lower.com Field and the USMNT welcome the 15th-ranked Japanese side on Sept. 9, with the match kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET and available on TNT, Max, Universo, and Peacock.
Both matches will be carried live on radio as Westwood One Sports delivers English language commentary from on-site for the first time while longtime partner Fútbol de Primera has the Spanish language call.
The USMNT has a chance to pull even in the lifetime series against Korea Republic with the record currently sitting at 2W-3L-2D. The rivalry resumes after more than a decade with the last meeting against the Taegeuk Warriors coming Feb. 1, 2014, when two goals from Chris Wondolowski led to a 2-0 shutout in Carson, Calif. The most famous meeting came in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, when Korea as co-hosts had the entire nation behind them. Facing a sea of red-clad fans, a goal by Clint Mathis and a penalty kick save by Brad Friedel earned the United States a 1-1 draw and a critical point in the group phase.
South Korea currently sits in first place of Group 2 in Round 3 standings in Asian Football Confederation qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The story between these teams is a short one with the USA and Japan having met just three times in nearly 20 years with the first encounter in 1993. In 2006, a goal and two assists from Taylor Twellman paced the USA to a 3-2 win in a World Cup tune-up match in San Francisco. The teams squared off again ahead of a World Cup in 2022, this time in the penultimate match before heading to Qatar. Matt Turner made six saves in the 2-0 defeat in Düsseldorf. Germany, before the USA went on to advance to the Round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
RETURN TO RED BULLS
It will be nearly eight years to the day since the USMNT stepped on the field at the home of the New York Red Bulls. Playing at Sports Illustrated Stadium for the fifth time, the USA’s shining moment came in 2014 in the second Send-Off Match for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil – coincidentally against Turkey, the upcoming opponent for the United States on June 7 in East Hartford. On June 1, 2014, Fabian Johnson and Clint Dempsey provided the goals while the combined effort of former MetroStars ‘keeper Tim Howard and Brad Guzan led to a 2-0 shutout win.
USMNT midfielder Tyler Adams and forward Tim Weah are products of the Red Bull Academy, while defender Tim Ream began his professional career in a Red Bulls uniform.
AT HOME IN COLUMBUS
Columbus holds a special place in USMNT lore as the host of several significant victories against regional rivals Mexico in World Cup Qualifying, forever associating the city with the famed dos a cero refrain. The U.S. hold an imposing 10W-1L-3D record in the city, with Lower.com Field providing a similar welcoming environment as its predecessor Historic Crew Stadium. Twice the United States turned to the newest home of the Crew for 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, and twice it delivered.
On Oct. 13, 2021, in front of a raucous, sell-out crowd of 20,165, a frenzied start saw Costa Rica take the lead after just one minute of play. Defender Sergiño Dest then scored a spectacular goal to equalize in the 25th minute and forward Tim Weah’s hard-hit shot in the 66th resulted in the game-winning own goal from Los Ticos.
Only three months later the USA returned to Colombus, this time a game-winner from defender Antonee Robinson helped deliver a 1-0 shutout against El Salvador on Jan. 27, 2022, with another capacity crowd on hand.
