USWNT to Face Top-Ranked Spain in October Friendlies Ahead of 2027 World Cup

The United States women's national team is scheduled to face No. 1 ranked Spain in two friendly matches this October, as The Guardian first reported. The matchups are set for October 10 in Washington DC and October 13 in Chester, Pennsylvania.

The series serves as a high-stakes benchmark for both squads as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The contest pits the 2024 Olympic gold medalists from the United States against Spain, the winners of the 2023 women’s World Cup. While Spain has already secured qualification for the 2027 tournament, the USWNT will use these friendlies as a tune-up for the Concacaf W Championship in late November, which serves as the World Cup qualifying process for the Concacaf region.

Spain enters the series with significant momentum after a dominant World Cup qualifying run, which included five wins and a single 1-0 loss to England, resulting in a plus-18 goal difference. The Spanish roster features elite talent, including Aitana Bonmatí, the recipient of the Ballon d’Or and Fifa's The Best women’s player for the last three years, and Alexia Putellas, who recently joined the London City Lionesses.

For the USWNT, these matches follow a June trip to Brazil where they split two friendlies. The U.S. lost the first match 2-1, with all scoring occurring in the first 15 minutes, before winning 1-0 on June 9. The Guardian reports that the June 9 victory was marked by a bad-tempered atmosphere that saw eight red cards issued, primarily after the final whistle.

Historically, the U.S. has performed well in high-ranking matchups. These upcoming games will mark the 18th and 19th times the U.S. has played in a match featuring the world’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams, a series in which the U.S. remains undefeated. This will be the second and third meetings between the two nations on American soil, following a 1-0 U.S. victory during the 2020 SheBelieves Cup.