The World Cup is barely two months in the rearview mirror, and the USMNT is already back to work. Mauricio Pochettino opens the 2030 cycle with four home friendlies in 11 days against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada, and the squad he picked looks very different from the one that went out in the Round of 16.
USMNT Friendlies 2026: Schedule, Roster and What to Expect This Fall
Pochettino, who signed on through 2030 after the Americans’ Round of 16 loss to Belgium, named a 28-man roster that includes 13 World Cup veterans and a dozen first-time senior call-ups. The headline name is 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union, who has scored six goals and added five assists since early August and is in line for his senior debut. Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun are not in the squad.
The games are spread across Orlando, St. Louis, Glendale and St. Paul on Sept. 26, Sept. 29, Oct. 3 and Oct. 6. With four matches in 11 days, heavy rotation is a safe bet.
USMNT vs. Peru and Chile: South American Tests Open the Window
Saturday’s (Sept. 26) opener at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando pits the U.S. against Peru, ranked No. 50 in the world after finishing ninth of 10 teams in CONMEBOL qualifying with just 12 points. Mano Menezes has one win, one draw and two losses in his first four games in charge, with veterans Pedro Gallese and André Carrillo leading the group. The sides last met in 2018 in a 1-1 draw. Kickoff 4:30pm ET. TV: TNT/Telemundo
Three days later (Sept. 29), Chile visits Energizer Park in St. Louis. La Roja finished last in South American qualifying, sits at No. 49 and is led by interim coach Nicolás Córdova, whose roster has no members of the Golden Generation and includes three invited youngsters born outside Chile. The U.S. hasn’t beaten Chile since 2000, and their last meeting in 2019 ended 1-1, so there’s a small historical itch to scratch. The bigger question is how Pochettino’s new faces handle the short turnaround. Kickoff: 8:00pm ET TV: TNT/Universo.
USMNT vs. Mexico and Canada: Rivalry Games Close Out the Window
Oct. 3 in Glendale is the date circled on every calendar. It will be Rafael Márquez’s third match as Mexico’s head coach, following his debut Saturday against Colombia in Baltimore and a Sept. 29 game against Peru. El Tri, ranked 10th, won its first four World Cup games before a 3-2 loss to England in the Round of 16. It’s the first meeting between the rivals since Mexico won the 2025 Gold Cup final. Kickoff: 10:00pm ET TV: TNT/Telemundo/Universo
The window closes Oct. 6 at Allianz Field in St. Paul against Canada. Jesse Marsch’s side earned its first-ever World Cup knockout win this summer before a 3-0 loss to Morocco in the Round of 16. Alphonso Davies is missing while on his honeymoon, but Jonathan David and Brighton’s Promise David headline a 26-man squad that faces Chile and Peru before the trip to Minnesota. Kickoff: 8:00pm ET TV: TNT/Telemundo/Universo.
What the Fall Window Means for USMNT’s 2030 Plans
None of this will define the 2030 cycle, but four games against four different styles should show which of Pochettino’s newcomers belong and how deep the player pool really runs. If Sullivan gets his debut, that becomes the story of the window, and the Mexico game will show where the USMNT stands against its fiercest rival at the start of the post-World Cup era. Buckle up: the next two weeks will move fast.
USMNT’s 11-Day Gauntlet: Peru, Chile, Mexico, Canada & a 16-Year-Old Phenom