USA men's soccer team to play Japan in Columbus this fall

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Yesterday 20:37

NBC4i.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The United States men's soccer team will make a stop in central Ohio this fall as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

U.S. Soccer announced the men's team will play at Lower.com Field in Columbus on Sept. 9 against Japan in a friendly. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Japan enters the game already assured a spot in the 2026 World Cup, which it clinched in March. The USA has only played Japan three times with the last meeting a 2-0 loss in 2022.

Tickets for the match will go on-sale to the public on Friday at 10 a.m. with a presale taking place on Thursday at the same time. Before traveling to Columbus, the USMNT hosts South Korea on Sept. 6 from Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

September's match in the Arena District will be the third time the USMNT has played at Lower.com Field and 15th time in Columbus. The first U.S. Soccer came to the Columbus Crew's new stadium was in October 2021 when the Americans beat Costa Rica 2-1 in a 2022 World Cup qualifying match.

The last time the men came to Columbus was January 27, 2022, a 1-0 win over El Salvador also in World Cup qualifying. In the 14 games the USMNT has played in Columbus, with 12 being played at Historic Crew Stadium, the Americans have only lost once.

The U.S. women's team has played at Lower.com Field twice with a 9-1 friendly win over Uzbekistan in April 2022 and a dramatic penalty shootout win in April 2024 over Canada in the SheBelieves Cup final.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino and his squad's last set of competitive games before the World Cup comes this summer in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, a competition the U.S. last won in 2021. The USMNT opens the tournament on June 15 against Trinidad & Tobago from San Jose in group play before facing Saudi Arabia on June 19 in Austin and hosting Haiti in Dallas on June 22.

Before heading off for the Gold Cup, the U.S. plays two friendly matches to prepare starting on June 7 against Turkiye in East Hartford, Connecticut. The Stars & Stripes will then face Switzerland on June 10 in Nashville.

The United States and Japan are two of the seven teams that has booked a spot in the 2026 World Cup. The USA will play in Group D with two group stage games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. The tournament kicks off on June 11, 2026 with Mexico playing the opening game in Mexico City.