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As the dust settles from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and with Mauricio Pochettino signed on for another four years, the USMNT is set to officially being the 2030 cycle in earnest.
U.S. Soccer has announced the signing of four international matches scheduled for a unique two-week break at the end of September and beginning of October.
The USMNT will be led by Pochettino, who decided to return to continue with the national team into the 2030 World Cup cycle, signing a new four-year contract that was announced on Monday. After strengthening the depth of the USMNT player pool leading up to the 2026 tournament, he will likely use this window to continue that endeavor.
The Sporting News brings you a look at the coming matches the U.S. will play, including two against border foes in the renewing of northern and southern rivalries.
MORE: Winners and losers from Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT return
USMNT schedule for September, October international break
U.S. Soccer announced the USMNT will play four matches across the final week in September and the first week in October 2026.
First, the U.S. men will face a pair of South American opponents: they will meet Peru on September 26 in Orlando, followed three days later by a game against Chile in St. Louis. Both CONMEBOL nations missed qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup this past summer.
Then comes a double-header against fellow World Cup co-hosts Mexico and Canada, with those games taking place in Glendale and Saint Paul.
MORE: Why bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the USMNT is the right choice
Why are USA playing four games in September and October?
To lessen the load on domestic leagues following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA has combined the September and October international windows into one big group this fall.
Normally, national teams play two games in September and two games in October, followed by two in November to finish out the year.
For 2026, the first two windows have been merged, meaning players will play four games in one break before returning to their club teams and not returning to international action until mid-November.
There were no European teams available for the U.S. to face in this window, because UEFA is slated to begin its Nations League schedule in this international window. Trans-Atlantic travel would have been especially difficult regardless over a four-match window.
Thus, the U.S. will play two CONMEBOL teams plus a pair of CONCACAF rivals instead.
When is the next USMNT roster announcement?
The United States will likely announce the roster for the September and October international break a week or two ahead of the matches.
Because the games are all friendlies, and coming shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup at the start of a new four-year cycle, this roster is likely to be heavily laden with fringe or young talent, as Pochettino builds towards the future of the national-team program.
It's also likely that many of the regular first-team players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and others who are looking at a long season across multiple competitions in Europe, could be left to rest for this two-week period rather than being called up.
Kyle Bonn
Kyle Bonn is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.
Source: Sporting News
