U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team set to begin Olympics prep in Phoenix

CHICAGO – As the U.S. Men’s U-23 Youth National Team prepares to return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, the USA will face Mexico on Oct. 11 and Japan on Oct. 17 at Phoenix Rising Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz.

The U-23 MYNT serves as an important part of U.S. Soccer’s mission to Develop Winning Teams as it will provide some of the nation’s top young talents the opportunity to face elite opposition on the world stage next summer.

Tickets will be available for purchase via Phoenix Rising FC’s Ticketmaster page. Pre-sale for Phoenix Rising season members will begin Friday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. ET and sales for the general public will begin Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. ET.

SCHEDULE

• Wednesday, Oct. 11 – USA vs. Mexico – 10 p.m. ET
• Saturday, Oct. 14 – Mexico vs. Japan – 6 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, Oct. 17 – USA vs. Japan – 10:30 p.m. ET

The USA qualified for its first Olympic Men’s Football Tournament in 16 years with a dominant performance at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship. There, the U.S. topped host Honduras 3-0 before a raucous crowd in San Pedro Sula to secure its Olympic berth.

Mexico will not compete in the Olympics, missing the tournament for the first time since 2008 after a bronze medal finish at Tokyo 2020.

Japan finished fourth as host at the delayed 2020 Olympics. The Samurai Blue are preparing for next spring’s 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, which will qualify three Asian nations to Paris 2024. Japan is currently competing at the Asian Games, kicking off the tournament’s knockout stage on Thursday, Sept. 28.

The U.S. and Japan faced off during the last U-23 MYNT cycle in Sept. 2019, a 2-0 victory for the USA in Chula Vista, Calif. The nations also met at the USA’s last Olympic appearance in 2008, a 1-0 victory for the red, white and blue in Tianjin, China. Stu Holden scored the lone goal for the U.S. The teams also drew 2-2 in the quarterfinals of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, with Josh Wolff scoring the USA’s opening goal as the U.S. ultimately prevailed 5-4 on PKs.