The United States men’s national soccer team will face South Korea and Japan in a series of friendly matches in September, according to an announcement by the United States Soccer Federation.
The first match will take place against South Korea on September 6 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. Subsequently, the team will face Japan three days later at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
These matches will give the coach the opportunity to evaluate his players against high-level rivals. Japan is currently ranked 15th in the FIFA rankings, while South Korea is ranked 23rd.
With less than a year to go until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, these friendlies represent a valuable experience for the United States, which is preparing to co-host the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.
Japan is already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and South Korea is close to securing its qualification, currently leading its group with two matches to play.
Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic and the USMNT prepare to face South Korea and Japan in September.
The match against South Korea will mark the return of midfielder Tyler Adams to the stadium where he began his career with the New York Red Bulls in MLS.
Playing against the Republic of Korea at Sports Illustrated Stadium will be special because it’s the first time I’ve been back since I left to play in Europe. It’s important as we build momentum towards 2026 in front of an incredible fanbase in a great stadium and a great venue.
Tyler Adams
The United States has the opportunity to even the head-to-head record against South Korea, with a current record of 2 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws.
In the last encounter between both teams, on February 1, 2014, two goals by Chris Wondolowski gave the victory to the United States by 2-0 in Carson, California. The most remembered match was in the 2002 World Cup, where a goal by Clint Mathis and a penalty save by Brad Friedel secured a 1-1 draw and a crucial point that allowed the United States to advance to the knockout stage.
The United States and Japan have only faced each other three times since their first match in 1993.
In 2006, a goal and two assists from Taylor Twellman guided the United States to a 3-2 victory in a World Cup warm-up match in San Francisco. The teams met again in a pre-tournament friendly in 2022, with Japan winning 2-0 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Before the two friendlies in September, the USMNT will participate in this summer’s Gold Cup, where it will compete in a group with Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia, and Haiti.
