USMNT to close out 2026 with December friendly against Jamaica in Fort Lauderdale

USMNT to close out 2026 against Jamaica in Fort Lauderdale

The United States will play its final game of 2026 on December 13 against Jamaica at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. Soccer confirmed. The friendly falls outside the FIFA international calendar, meaning Mauricio Pochettino's roster will be composed almost entirely of MLS players.

The match replaces the program's traditional January camp, which has historically introduced uncapped MLS players such as Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Max Arfsten to the senior team. Because the game falls outside a FIFA window, clubs are not obligated to release players, though some Europe-based players whose teams enter winter break could still take part.

"As we continue to build our group, this is an excellent opportunity to work with many MLS players and potentially see some new faces," Pochettino said. "Jamaica is the type of team we could face in upcoming tournaments, including World Cup qualifying, so it's a great opportunity and experience for these players. Of course, we love playing in Fort Lauderdale and having the support of the fans in the area."

The game will be the USMNT's 14th of 2026, a year in which Pochettino's team has gone 8-0-5, including a run to the World Cup round of 16 before losing to Belgium, and four straight wins over Chile, Peru, Mexico and Canada that included 13 debuts. The Jamaica match will also serve as a scouting opportunity ahead of November's Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti, with the Americans eyeing a potential Nations League Final Four and Gold Cup in 2027, plus World Cup qualifying beginning next October.

Columbus Crew, St. Louis CITY chase first Open Cup glory in decades

The Columbus Crew will host St. Louis CITY SC on October 21 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in the final of the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network. The Crew, 2002 champions, are seeking their first Open Cup title since then, while CITY is chasing the first trophy in its history.

St. Louis enters off a historic 21-match unbeaten streak across all competitions that was snapped Saturday in a 3-2 loss at Minnesota United. Club-record signing Rafael Navarro and fellow Designated Player Carlo Holse powered the run, though Navarro is unavailable for the final. Manager Yoann Damet's side sits second in the Western Conference, within reach of first-place Vancouver.

Columbus, meanwhile, has won five of its last six matches and dispatched Richmond Kickers, One Knoxville and New York City FC en route to the final. Striker Josef Martínez, a 2019 Open Cup winner with Atlanta United, said the Crew will focus only on winning, while TheCup.us notes this may be the club's only shot at silverware this year given its position in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. St. Louis is also aiming to revive a deep regional Open Cup legacy, with St. Louis-area clubs having won the tournament 10 times, most recently in 1988 with the Busch Seniors.

Orlando Pride's playoff hopes end after loss to Houston Dash

The Orlando Pride's 2026 playoff hopes are over after a 2-1 loss at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium, combined with the Seattle Reign's later win over the Chicago Stars on Sunday, closed the gate on Orlando's postseason chances. The Pride became the sixth NWSL team eliminated this season, ending a two-year streak of reaching the playoffs.

The Houston Dash, by contrast, had already been eliminated for two weeks before the match. Houston, Chicago, Racing Louisville, Boston Legacy, Bay FC and Orlando are now out of contention, while Gotham FC, the San Diego Wave and the Washington Spirit have clinched playoff berths, with Gotham and San Diego assured of hosting quarterfinals.

Dest shines as PSV wins first Champions League match

Sergiño Dest delivered a standout performance in PSV's 1-0 road win over Porto on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League, the club's first win in the competition this season.

Elsewhere among Americans abroad, Alex Freeman came off the bench for Villarreal in a 4-3 loss to Liverpool, while Johnny Cardoso saw action as a substitute in Atlético Madrid's 1-1 draw with VfB Stuttgart.

Naomi Girma's absence highlights deeper USWNT depth questions

Naomi Girma missed both USWNT friendlies against top-ranked Spain with a lingering calf injury, a loss felt keenly as Spain won the first match 2-0 in Washington before the U.S. rallied for a 2-2 draw in Chester, Pennsylvania, three days later on a late Mallory Swanson equalizer marking her return from nearly two years out after giving birth.

Girma, the USWNT's top defender since 2023, has been in and out of lineups since Chelsea paid a world-record $1.1 million for her in January 2025; she has yet to play for the club this season. The U.S. was also missing Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, Catarina Macario and Emily Sonnett, while Spain itself was missing stars including Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, Mapi León and Cata Coll.

Despite not winning either match, the USWNT held onto its No. 2 FIFA ranking in the update published October 20, though Spain continued to pull away at No. 1 with 2,121.50 points to the Americans' 2,042.38, while No. 3 Germany and No. 4 England closed the gap. USWNT coach Emma Hayes called Spain "the best team in the world," adding, "We're still in progress."

Eidevall has San Diego Wave believing in silverware

Jonas Eidevall says his San Diego Wave, winners of five straight NWSL matches and sitting second in the league one point off top spot, believe they "can go all the way" in the playoffs. The former Arsenal manager took over 21 months ago amid an exodus of senior players, including Naomi Girma's move to Chelsea, and rebuilt around technical players such as 18-year-olds Melanie Barcenas and Kimmi Ascanio.

"It would mean everything," Eidevall said of a potential title. "There are no guarantees in the playoffs, but the exciting part is saying: 'We can also go all the way.'" Wave defenders Kristen McNabb and Kennedy Wesley lead the division in passes completed this season.

Cavan Sullivan headlines 2026 MLS 22 Under 22 class

Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, 17, topped MLS's 2026 22 Under 22 rankings, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the award and surpassing Alphonso Davies' 2018 mark. Sullivan earned his first MLS All-Star selection while helping fuel Philadelphia's push for MLS Cup.

Red Bull New York's Julian Hall, 18, and Adri Mehmeti, 17, also ranked highly after record-setting rookie seasons, while Chicago Fire defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, Orlando's Justin Ellis and New England's Peyton Miller rounded out notable selections. San Diego FC's Manu Duah was ranked ninth, Sporting Kansas City's Owen Wolff placed 16th for a fourth straight year, and LAFC's Jude Terry made his first appearance on the list.

Record crowds and viewership greet U.S. national teams after World Cup

More than 165,000 fans attended six U.S. men's and women's national team matches this fall, with every match reaching at least 95% capacity and three selling out, in Orlando, Glendale and Washington, U.S. Soccer said.

The USMNT's October 3 match against Mexico drew a combined 626,000 viewers on TNT's English broadcasts, up 97% from the teams' October 2024 meeting, while Telemundo's Spanish-language broadcast averaged 1.7 million viewers and peaked at 2.22 million, its most-watched USMNT match since acquiring rights in 2023. "When we look at the numbers, it's clear that the demand for soccer in this country is incredibly high," said U.S. Soccer Vice President of Events John Terry.

Central American Cup semifinals and play-in round kick off

The 2026 Concacaf Central American Cup semifinals and play-in round began October 20, with Club Olimpia Deportivo, CS Cartaginés, FC Motagua and three-time defending champion LD Alajuelense competing for a place in the final, all four having already secured 2027 Champions Cup qualification.

In the play-in round, CD Marathón faces Alianza FC and L.A. Firpo meets Deportivo Saprissa, with the two series winners claiming the final two 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup berths from the tournament.