With the ink still damp on Mauricio Pochettino’s new four-year deal as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, U.S. Soccer has wasted no time in lining up some testing games to get their 2030 FIFA World Cup preparations underway.
The Argentine’s new deal was announced on Monday, ending speculation that the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss was set to return to domestic management, as had been largely expected since the day he joined the USMNT in September 2024.
Instead, Pochettino is now set to lead the USMNT through qualifying for the 2030 World Cup in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, along with two Gold Cups and potentially a Copa America campaign.
Pochettino’s second chapter with the USMNT is likely to look different from his first, something he hinted at in an interview with team media following the announcement of his return, suggesting that with more time to prepare for the next World Cup, they would be looking closely to integrate some new talent.
His first opportunity to perhaps tinker with his roster will come on September 26 when they host Peru at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, with kick off schedfuled for 4:30pm ET. Currently ranked 50th in the world by FIFA, the USMNT hasn’t taken on Peru since 2018 when they drew 1-1 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Pochettino’s side will then return to action on September 29 when they host 49th-ranked Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri at 7pm ET. These two teams also haven’t met in some time, with their last friendly down at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, in 2019, also resulting in a 1-1 draw.
Fast forward to October 3, and arguably the biggest match of the schedule will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, when the USMNT hosts Mexico, now ranked 10th after an impressive World Cup run which saw them not concede a single goal in their first four games. This will kick off at 10pm ET and mark their first matchup since the Gold Cup Final last July, which El Tri won 2-1.
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Finally, the USMNT will host 30th-ranked Canada, which, like its World Cup co-hosts America and Mexico, made it to the Round of 16 this summer. They’ll face off at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 6 at 8pm ET, with the USMNT looking to make amends for their 2-1 defeat to Jesse Marsch’s side in the Nations League third-place playoff last March.
“We are so excited to start this new phase of our journey with matches in front of our home fans. Their amazing energy during the summer has set the standard,” Pochettino said.
“We expect our players to compete with the mentality that every game is critical, and they must show the passion and commitment our fans deserve. Our objective is always to play the best opponents possible, and these matches provide a variety of experiences for this group of players as we begin this new chapter of the U.S Men’s National Team.”
Source: Alloutsoccer.com
