The United States women’s national team will face Spain in two high-profile friendlies this October as both sides step up preparations for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. The fixtures pit the reigning Olympic gold medallists against the current world champions in a rare clash of the sport’s elite.
The first match takes place on 10 October in Washington DC, with the second encounter following three days later in Chester, Pennsylvania. These will mark only the second and third meetings between the nations on American soil, continuing a rivalry that has produced tightly contested encounters.
World Cup Preparation
The double-header serves as a crucial benchmark for both programmes with the expanded 2027 tournament in Brazil approaching. Spain lifted the 2023 World Cup trophy and have already qualified for the next edition after dominating their qualifying group with five wins and a plus-18 goal difference. Their solitary defeat came against England.
For the United States, the friendlies carry additional competitive weight. The squad will use these matches as essential preparation for the Concacaf W Championship in late November, which doubles as the regional qualifying tournament for the 2027 finals. Unlike their opponents, the USWNT must navigate the Concacaf competition to secure their World Cup berth.
Star Power
Spain’s roster includes several of the world’s most decorated players. Alexia Putellas recently completed a move to London City Lionesses, while Aitana Bonmatí arrives in the United States having claimed The Best award from Fifa and the Ballon d’Or for three consecutive years.
The only previous meeting between these sides in America came during the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, when the hosts claimed a 1-0 victory. The October fixtures represent the 18th and 19th occasions that the US women have contested matches featuring the world’s top two ranked teams. They remain undefeated in such encounters to date.
Both teams last appeared in June friendlies in Brazil. The USWNT split their results against the World Cup hosts, suffering a 2-1 defeat before securing a 1-0 win in a match that produced eight red cards, most issued after the final whistle. Spain enter the October fixtures on the back of an emphatic qualifying campaign that confirmed their status as defending champions.