USMNT reportedly finalizing friendly with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in final window before 2026 World Cup

The USMNT are reportedly in advanced talks to secure a high-profile friendly with Portugal next March, according to Fox Sports. Atlanta will be the host city for the proposed friendly, which is still subject to final confirmation. Mauricio Pochettino's side are also in the process of confirming a friendly with Belgium during the window, which is the last one before 26-man World Cup squads are released. 

The match would be Cristiano Ronaldo's first appearance in the United States since 2014, when he featured in a friendly between Real Madrid and Manchester United in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His most recent meeting with the USMNT also came that summer at the World Cup, where he famously set up Silvestre Varela’s stoppage-time equalizer to deny the Americans a victory in the group stage.

Earlier reports had suggested the U.S. were seeking an NFL-sized venue, with Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium ultimately selected as the site - pending official confirmation.

If finalized, the friendly would add to an already demanding run of fixtures for Pochettino’s side as it prepares for a World Cup on home soil. The federation has booked November meetings with Paraguay and Uruguay, while potential showdowns with Portugal and Belgium - both top-10 teams in FIFA’s rankings - would further raise the stakes.

Atlanta hasn't been a kind venue for the U.S. of late. The most recent fixture at "The Benz" was a high profile Copa America loss to Panama, when the U.S. fell 2-1 in a game that all-but confirmed a group stage exit from the tournament.

The U.S. are back in action Tuesday night, when they face Japan in Columbus, Ohio. Their most recent fixture was a 2-0 loss to South Korea at Sports Illustrated Arena.