USA to face South Korea, Japan in September friendlies

The United States men’s national team will take on South Korea and Japan in a pair of friendlies in September, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Tuesday.

The USMNT will first host South Korea on Sept. 6 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, followed by a match three days later against Japan at Lower.com field in Columbus, Ohio.

The matches will provide coach Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT with a rare opportunity to play friendlies against high quality opposition, with Japan currently 15th in the FIFA rankings while Korea is currently 23rd.

By the time the matches are played, the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be less than a year away, giving the U.S. valuable experience as it prepares to co-host the tournament with Canada and Mexico.

Japan has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, while Korea is closing in on qualification as well, and currently sits atop its group with two matches to play.

The game with South Korea will see Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams return to the stadium where he began his career with the New York Red Bulls in MLS.

“Playing against Korea Republic in Sports Illustrated Stadium will be special because it’s the first time I’m back since I’ve left [to play in Europe],” he said as part of the U.S. Soccer announcement. “It’s important as we build momentum towards 2026 in front of amazing fans in a great stadium and a great place.”

The USMNT has a chance to draw level in the lifetime series against South Korea with its record currently sitting at 2W-3L-2D.

In the USMNT’s last meeting against the Taegeuk Warriors on Feb. 1, 2014, two goals from Chris Wondolowski led to a 2-0 victory in Carson, California. The most famous meeting came in the 2002 World Cup, when 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 that ultimately enabled the U.S. to progress to the knockout rounds.

The U.S. and Japan have met just three times since the inaugural match between the two sides 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 in a pre-World Cup friendly ahead of the 2022 tournament, with Japan prevailing, 2-0 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Prior to the two September friendlies, the USMNT will take part in this summer’s Gold Cup, where it will compete in a group with Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.

Mexico also announced Tuesday that it will face the same opponents as the USMNT in September, with a match against Japan at the Oakland Coliseum on June 6 and against South Korea three days later at a location yet to be announced.