The U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) is set to face Australia and Ecuador in a pair of friendlies this October as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These matches will provide valuable opportunities for the USMNT to compete against World Cup-bound teams.
The USMNT will first host Ecuador on October 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock. This match also falls within Hispanic Heritage Month, and U.S. Soccer plans to honor the Hispanic community for their cultural heritage and support of the team. The team will then travel to Commerce City, Colorado, to face Australia on October 14 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, with kickoff at 9 p.m. ET. This game will also be broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock. This marks the USMNT's first return to Commerce City since 2017.
Both Australia and Ecuador are ranked in the top 25 by FIFA. Ecuador is currently ranked 25th and has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, joining Brazil and Argentina as the South American teams to secure their place. Australia, ranked 24th, clinched their spot by finishing second in their group during the third round of the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers, marking their sixth consecutive World Cup appearance. The U.S. currently sits at No. 15 in the FIFA rankings.
These October friendlies, combined with the previously announced September friendlies against South Korea and Japan, mean that the U.S. will face four teams ranked in the FIFA Top 25 this fall. All four of these teams have also qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
The USMNT last played Australia in 2010, winning 3-1 in a pre-World Cup tune-up match in South Africa. The U.S. and Ecuador have met 15 times previously, with each side winning 5 matches and drawing 5. The last encounter was in 2016 when the U.S. eliminated Ecuador in the Copa América Centenario quarterfinals.
These upcoming matches are crucial for coach Mauricio Pochettino as he evaluates players and refines his squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. has two more FIFA fixture windows to fill in November and next March before Pochettino names his final 26-player World Cup roster. The Americans are also expected to play a pair of pre-World Cup tuneups before they kick off the main event in Los Angeles on June 12.
The trip to Austin will be the sixth time since 2021 that the USMNT has played in the Texas capital. They have a perfect 6-0 record in Austin, including a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in last month's CONCACAF Gold Cup. The USMNT are 3-0-0 all-time at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, including the "Snow Clasico" against Costa Rica in 2013.
