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Alex Labidou

‘Perfect tests’ - USWNT lands October doubleheader against world No. 1 Spain ahead of World Cup qualifying

Women's football
USA
Spain
E. Hayes

The U.S. Women’s National Team will face its toughest tests of 2026 before turning its attention to World Cup qualifying, hosting world No. 1 Spain for two October friendlies. The teams will meet Oct. 10 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET, before facing off again three days later at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, at 7 p.m. ET. Recently retired USWNT icon Crystal Dunn will be honored before the opening match.

  • Germany v Spain - UEFA Women's Nations League 2025 Final First LegGetty Images Sport

    'Two more fantastic matches'

    U.S. manager Emma Hayes emphasized her desire for her squad to take on the world's best ahead of World Cup qualifying.

    “Two more fantastic matches,” said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes. “We’ve desperately wanted to get Spain on our schedule, but the difficulties of scheduling the top teams during the women’s international calendar are well known, so to be able to get these two games on the East Coast will be the perfect tests before we head into World Cup qualifying at the end of the year.”

    The USWNT has an overall record of 8-2-0 (wins-losses-ties) in 2026, outscoring their opponents 22 to four. However, Spain are top-ranked for a reason. Spain were available for the October matches after securing direct qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup with a dominant finish to its UEFA qualifying campaign. A 4-0 win over England in Mallorca on June 5 and a 6-1 victory against Iceland in Reykjavik four days later sealed top spot in Group C, allowing Spain to avoid the UEFA playoffs scheduled for the October FIFA window.

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    U.S.'s history vs. Spain

    Spain’s rise to the top of the women’s game is still relatively recent, which helps explain why La Roja and the USWNT have met just four times.

    The U.S. won the first three meetings: 1-0 in Alicante in early 2019, 2-1 in the Round of 16 at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Reims and 1-0 at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup in Harrison, New Jersey.

    Spain finally broke through in the most recent meeting, earning its first victory over the USWNT with a 2-0 win in Pamplona in 2022. Less than a year later, La Roja lifted the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, reaching the top of the sport for the first time.

  • USWNT

    For the USWNT, these matches represent another major test against one of the best teams in the world. They will be the 18th and 19th games in U.S. history featuring the top two teams in the FIFA rankings, with the Americans unbeaten in the previous 17 at 11W-0L-6D. The first match will also mark the USWNT’s fourth appearance at Audi Field, where it most recently defeated Canada 3-0 in July 2025, while the second will be the team’s 10th game in Chester, Pa. The U.S. had been unbeaten in its first nine matches at the home of the Philadelphia Union before falling 2-1 to Portugal there in October 2025.

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    What comes next?

    The Spain friendlies will serve as the USWNT’s final tuneup before the 2026 CONCACAF W Championship, which runs from Nov. 27-Dec. 5 in Texas and will determine the region’s qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. The U.S. opens against El Salvador in the quarterfinals, with a victory enough to secure its place at the World Cup.