Can USMNT's rebuilt roster handle four friendlies in just 11 days? Pochettino's plan for Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada revealed

USMNT are moving on from a home-soil World Cup that ended with a disappointing defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16, and the rebuild starts immediately. Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to a new contract that will keep him as head coach through 2030, and his first assignment of that extended tenure is an unusually packed one: home friendlies against Peru on September 26, Chile on September 29, Mexico on October 3 and Canada on October 6. Rather than the usual two-game international break, the fall window has been extended to encompass four games, giving Pochettino a rare early look at depth across his player pool before World Cup qualifying for 2030 gets underway.

The South American opening back-to-back carries its own history. The USMNT last faced Peru in 2018, a 1-1 draw, while Peru — ranked 50th in FIFA's world rankings after narrowly missing out on 2026 World Cup qualification — is now led by coach Mano Menezes. Chile presents an even tougher psychological hurdle: the sides last met in 2019, also a 1-1 draw, and Chile holds a 3-5-3 all-time edge over the US, who haven't beaten La Roja since 2000. To manage four matches inside 11 days, Pochettino has called in 28 players rather than the standard 26, spreading the workload and hedging against injuries. One name stands out: 16-year-old Philadelphia Union standout Cavan Sullivan, who has scored six goals and provided five assists since early August, is poised to earn his senior USMNT debut in the window.

Speaking as the fixtures were confirmed, Pochettino told US Soccer, "We expect our players to compete with the mentality that every game is critical," framing the friendlies as a proving ground rather than a routine exhibition slate. The coach has praised the backing his squad received on home soil over the summer and wants that atmosphere to carry into the new cycle, even with a youth-heavy roster still finding its identity after the World Cup exit.

The tour crisscrosses the country: Peru at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis, Mexico at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, and Canada at Allianz Field in St. Paul. All four matches will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo and Peacock. The window feeds directly into a bigger picture — USMNT return to competitive action in November for home-and-away Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal legs, the first competitive step in a cycle that ultimately points toward the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain.