USWNT to Compete Against Japan in April Series

The U.S. Women’s National Team will renew its historic rivalry with Japan in a three-match series scheduled for April during the FIFA international window. This matchup is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international women’s soccer, with the U.S. holding an impressive all-time record of 32 wins, 2 losses, and 8 draws against Japan. The two teams notably faced each other in three consecutive major finals during the 2010s, which included Japan’s memorable penalty-kick victory at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as well as U.S. triumphs at the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2015 World Cup. Their most recent encounter occurred in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic Games, where Trinity Rodman clinched a 1-0 victory for the U.S. with an overtime goal.

All three matches will take place at venues associated with National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) clubs: PayPal Park, home to Bay FC; Lumen Field, which hosts Seattle Reign FC; and DICK’S Sporting Goods Park, where the newly established Denver Summit will be playing its inaugural season. Notably, the match at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park will also signify a milestone, as it will feature the USWNT during the first season of the Denver Summit, who recently signed U.S. captain Lindsey Heaps, set to join the team this summer.

These venues also serve as homes for Major League Soccer (MLS) teams – the San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, and Colorado Rapids – all of whom have celebrated MLS Cup victories.

Coach Hayes expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming matches against Japan, viewing them as a valuable test for the team, despite the unusual format of facing the same opponent three times. “Japan is one of the best teams in the world,” Hayes remarked. “I have great admiration for their playing style and hold tremendous respect for their team identity. They are a highly experienced group dedicated to their unique style of football. While playing the same opponent three times is unconventional, it offers us an excellent challenge and an opportunity to measure ourselves against a top-tier opponent.”

Prior to the series against Japan, the U.S. team will travel to Santa Barbara, California, for their second of two January friendlies, where they will take on Chile on January 27.