USWNT to host Republic of Ireland for April friendlies in Austin and St. Louis

CHICAGO – The U.S. Women’s National Team will play its April friendlies against the Republic of Ireland as both teams continue their journeys to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The teams will meet on Saturday, April 8 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas in a match presented by Truly Hard Seltzer (1:30 p.m. CT / 2:30 p.m. ET on TNT, Universo and Peacock) before finishing the two-leg set on Tuesday, April 11 at the brand new CITYPARK in St. Louis, Mo. (6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET on HBO Max, Universo and Peacock).

These will be the final international matches for the USWNT players before head coach Vlatko Andonovski and his staff choose the USA’s 23-player World Cup roster later in the spring.

In 2021, the USWNT played the first-ever match at Q2 Stadium, defeating Nigeria 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd. This will the USA’s first match at Q2 since that historic night. The match at CITYPARK also carries some history as it will be the first game for the U.S. Women at the home of the newest franchise in Major League Soccer, St. Louis CITY SC, the first female majority-owned team in the league.

Ireland qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup – its first – in dramatic fashion. After finishing second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group A behind Sweden, Ireland met rival Scotland in a one-game World Cup playoff at the famed Hampden Park in Glasgow. In front of more than 10,000 fans, a highly emotional goal in 72^nd minute from Amber Barrett, who plays in Germany for Turbine Potsdam, sent The Girls in Green to Australia and New Zealand.

“Ireland is a highly motivated, hard-working team that has talented players with big hearts who I know are really excited to be representing their country in a World Cup,” said U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “The two games will be a great test at a crucial time in our team’s run to the World Cup. While there will be plenty of league games for us to watch after April, these will be the final matches for our players with the National Team before we have to pick the World Cup roster, so they will carry that importance.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The USA has played Ireland 13 times and has won every match. The most recent meeting was Aug. 3, 2019, a 3-0 victory at the Rose Bowl in the first game following the USA’s 2019 Women’s World Cup triumph.

• One of Ireland’s top players, midfielder Denise O’Sullivan, is a long-time standout with the North Carolina Courage in the NWSL.

• The match in Austin marks the USA’s 32nd match in Texas, where it has never lost.

• The match in St. Louis will be the USA’s 10^th in Missouri and sixth in St. Louis with the previous five matches taking place at the St. Louis Soccer Park (1996 & 1998), the Edward Jones Dome (2007) and Busch Stadium (2015 and 2019). The matches at Busch Stadium were also among the final matches for the USA before departing for a World Cup.

• U.S. captain and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Becky Sauerbrunn hails from St. Louis, where she attended Ladue High School.

• At the World Cup, which is taking place from July 20-Aug. 20 in 10 stadiums across nine host cities — five in Australia and four in New Zealand — the USA will open Group E play against Vietnam on July 22 at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, which will also serve as the host venue for the Opening Ceremony of the 2023 World Cup on July 20 when New Zealand plays Norway. The USA then faces Netherlands on July 27 at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara, followed by the Group A Playoff Winner on Aug. 1 at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.

• The Republic of Ireland was drawn into an interesting Group B that also features Canada, Nigeria and co-host Australia. Ireland will face the Matildas on July 20 in the second match of the tournament and first in Australia which will likely be attended by more than 82,000 fans at Stadium Australia.