The United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) is set to clash with two-time World Cup champions Uruguay in a friendly match, concluding their schedule for 2025.
This exciting exhibition will take place on November 18 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, the home ground of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which boasts a seating capacity of 75,000.
The match against Uruguay is the second part of two exhibition games during FIFA’s November international fixture window.
The identity of the USMNT’s first opponent in November is yet to be disclosed, but it is anticipated that the team will face another opponent from the South American CONMEBOL region.
Following the November fixtures, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino will have just two opportunities to prepare his squad in March before finalizing his 26-player roster for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next summer.
Discussions for a friendly match against Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history, were also on the table.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Soccer Federation could not finalize arrangements in time.
As for Uruguay, they currently sit fourth in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings, trailing only Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador, who have already secured their spots in the tournament.
The Uruguayan team will face ninth-place Peru on Thursday before traveling to play against last-place Chile on September 9.
While the U.S. has already qualified for the World Cup as a host nation, they are currently participating in two friendlies this month: one against the Korea Republic on Saturday in Harrison, New Jersey, and another against Japan next Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio.
Uruguay and the U.S. last met in 2024 during the Copa América group stage, where Uruguay triumphed with a narrow 1-0 victory in Kansas City.
This defeat marked a historical moment as the U.S. became the first host nation to be eliminated from the tournament before reaching the knockout rounds.
Following this disappointment, U.S. Soccer made the decision to part ways with previous head coach Gregg Berhalter and appointed Pochettino to lead the team starting September of the same year.
The last time the two teams faced each other before this was in the lead-up to the Qatar World Cup, ending in a scoreless draw.
Historically, Uruguay leads the all-time series against the U.S. with three wins, two losses, and four draws.
The USMNT’s last victory against Uruguay occurred back in 2002.
Uruguay features several high-profile players, such as Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo and Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, who are expected to make an impact in the upcoming match.
Under the guidance of Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, who notably once recruited a young Pochettino for Newell’s Old Boys, the Uruguayan team continues to be a formidable force in international soccer.
In preparation for their upcoming matches, Pochettino’s squad will also meet Ecuador on October 10 in Austin, Texas, followed by a match against Australia on October 14 in Commerce City, Colorado.
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