The U.S. men’s national team hasn’t even started the 2022 World Cup, and they’re already planning for the 2026 cycle.
The USMNT will kick off 2023 with friendlies against Serbia and Colombia, with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports having exclusive broadcast rights to the games. The match against Serbia will be played at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 25, while Colombia will face the USMNT at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA three days later.
With the 2026 World Cup being hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the USMNT won’t have qualifying matches to play. Finding opponents — especially at the level of Serbia and Colombia —will be critical throughout the next four years.
Tough opposition
Historically, the USMNT has never managed to beat Serbia, with a 0-0 draw in San Diego back in 2017 and a 1-0 loss at the 1998 World Cup representing the most recent meetings. Colombia, meanwhile, is a more familiar opponent. The USMNT is 3W-4D-13L against los Cafeteros, who won the last meeting between the sides (a 4-2 decision in Tampa in 2018). Colombia has not lost a meeting between the teams since 2005.
The friendlies will not fall in a FIFA international window, as has generally been the case with the January USMNT camp. With European club teams getting back into gear at that point following the mid-season disruption that is Qatar 2022, it stands to reason that Gregg Berhalter will be calling in an MLS-heavy group to face a less than full-strength version of Serbia and Colombia.
Still, the friendlies represent a great chance to look at the younger players who may well end up blossoming into potential starters come 2026. Players like Brenden Aaronson, Jesús Ferreira, and Matt Turner have all made their first appearance after impressing at January camps past.
[lawrence-related id=8935,8771,8643]