​The U.S. women’s national team is not easing up ahead of World Cup qualifying. In October, the USWNT will take on Spain, the reigning World Cup champions, in a two-match series. The opener is set for Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with the second clash scheduled for Oct. 13 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Two more high-profile fixtures on the schedule, as head coach Emma Hayes noted in the release announcing the matches. “We’ve long wanted to face Spain, but the challenges of lining up top teams within the women’s international calendar are well understood,” Hayes said. “Being able to secure these two games on the East Coast will provide the perfect tests before we enter World Cup qualifying later this year.”
The United States will begin its qualifying campaign for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup later this year, with the tournament taking place in November and December in Texas. Spain, meanwhile, already has its World Cup path cleared, and it features standout players such as Aitana Bonmati, a three-time world player of the year, and Alexia Putellas, who has earned the accolade twice. Spain earned its first Women’s World Cup title at the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand, continuing a rapid ascent that has positioned them as the top-ranked team in the world. The USWNT, the Olympic champions after securing gold in Paris just months into Hayes’s tenure, remains eager to test itself against Spain before entering qualification play.
The upcoming matches will mark only the fifth time the United States has faced Spain. The Spanish squad’s global standing is underscored by its recent success and the presence of Bonmati and Putellas, both of whom have been central figures for club and country. The USWNT’s calendar continues to be packed with high-stakes matchups as it builds toward the World Cup set to unfold across eight host cities in Brazil, running from June 24 to July 25 of next year.
In a separate moment awaiting the crowd before the contest in Washington, Crystal Dunn—who was part of the U.S. squads that captured the 2019 World Cup title and the 2024 Olympic gold—will be honored. Dunn, who earned the NWSL MVP award in 2015 while with the Washington Spirit, is slated for recognition at the venue.
This preview of the fall matches with Spain follows a history of U.S. women’s teams competing on the global stage, including the high drama of past World Cup editions and Olympic campaigns. The strike of triumphs and the promise of new tests across two East Coast venues are framed as essential elements in the buildup to World Cup qualifying and beyond. This information originally appeared on USA TODAY, highlighting the USWNT’s dual challenge against the current world champions as they prepare for the next phase of international competition.