USMNT returning to action on March 25 for friendly against Jamaica

CHICAGO – The U.S. Men’s National Team will continue preparations for a significant year that includes the Concacaf Nations League Final Four in June, the Gold Cup in July and the start of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying when it returns to action against Jamaica on March 25 at Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Kickoff in the rematch of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Semifinal is set for 1 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2, UniMás and TUDN.

Three days later, the U.S. meets Northern Ireland for the first time in more than 70 years. The National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast hosts the contest, set for 12 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX, UniMás and TUDN.

Fans will also be able to follow both matches via Facebook, Twitter @USMNT, Instagram @USMNT and the official U.S. Soccer App.

The staging of the camp and the match will fall under the comprehensive U.S. Soccer Return to Play Protocols and Guidelines and will be played without fans in the stadium.

With much of the world competing in World Cup Qualifying during the March window, U.S. Soccer secured the opportunity to play against the third-highest ranking Concacaf team behind Mexico and the United States.

The match falls on a FIFA fixture date, giving USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter the opportunity to call in players based domestically and abroad.

The U.S. team and staff will operate inside a controlled environment. Everyone entering the controlled environment will undergo multiple COVID-19 tests in advance of traveling, and then will be tested upon arrival and at least every two days during camp. There will be no full team training until the results of all arrival tests are confirmed.

AGAINST THE REGGAE BOYZ

Since the series began in 1988, the teams have met 26 times with the USMNT holding a 16-3-8 overall record. This will be the first encounter in a neutral venue and the first friendly since Jamaica secured a 1-0 win on June 5, 2019, in Washington, D.C. Nearly a month later, a pair of goals from Christian Pulisic added to Weston McKennie’s opener as the USA raced to a 3-1 win in the semifinal of the 2019 Gold Cup.

IN AUSTRIA

This will be the USA’s fourth visit to Austria and the second consecutive time the country has played host to USA while not also being the opponent. It’s also the second friendly ever against a Concacaf opponent at a neutral venue outside of the region, following the USA’s 6-2 win against Panama last November., Stadion Wiener Neustadt is located approximately 40 miles south of Vienna and is the home ground of SC Wiener Neustadt of the Austrian Regionalliga East.

COMPETITION COMING UP

The March window is a lead-in to three significant competitions in 2021, beginning with the Concacaf Nations League final four. Winners of League A’s Group A, the USMNT takes on Honduras in one semifinal, while Mexico and Costa Rica will square off in the other, with the winners competing for the inaugural Nations League title. The matches are scheduled for the FIFA window in the first week of June, with the venues and times still to be determined.

The following month, the U.S. will compete in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup in search of its seventh confederation championship title. The USMNT has been drawn into Group A with Canada, Martinique and a third team to be determined through a qualifying tournament. The United States last lifted the trophy in 2017, when Jordan Morris netted the game-winner against Jamaica in the 2-1 victory.

Those games serve as prelude to the start of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying, which will feature an eight-team final round and commence in Sept. of 2021.