Since it was asked for in the 2020 schedule thread: The (very much subject to change) 2021 USMNT schedule Jan. 2021: Domestic camp with one game at end (Source) March 2021: 2 game FIFA window June 2021: Nations League Semifinals vs. Honduras Nations League Championship/Consolation vs. Mexico or Costa Rica Additional 2 game FIFA window July 2021: Gold Cup Group B 1 Gold Cup Group B 2 Gold Cup Group B 3 (group: Canada, Martinique, TBD) Gold Cup Quarterfinals* Gold Cup Semifinals* August 2021: Gold Cup Final* Sep. 2021: WCQ 1 at A/F Winner WCQ 2 vs. B/E Winner WCQ 3 at Honduras Oct. 2021: WCQ 4 vs. Jamaica WCQ 5 at C/D Winner WCQ 6 vs. Costa Rica Nov. 2021 WCQ 7 vs. Mexico WCQ 8 at Jamaica Others are free to update once opponents, venues, dates, times, etc. are known.
Maybe this is for a different thread now, but I thought before Berhalter said it was the plan to have the A-team for Nations League and then the WCQ that were going to happen in that June FIFA window. Now that WCQ are moved back, do we still see the A-team for Nations League plus, presumably, a couple friendlies, or do they get the GC?
As I always think, ******** the Gold Cup and the League of Nations. We will also have to squeeze the Olympics in there and the European players have been playing around the clock since re-start. There are some weeks coming up with three league matches for teams. I think a strong match against Mexico will be good for this team, and the LoN is fewer games to get there, so I might focus on that. Also, there's a decent chance that some of our depth will get siphoned away for the Olympics. Something's gotta give, and I'd drop the Gold Cup- B/C team there.
I've posted this in a different thread, but I think rest needs to be a higher priority this season. So I also agree that, if I were the one setting the priorities, that the Nations League would be the priority for the "A Team". Get them a couple of games in the NL, then give them a chance to rest before the qualifiers. Let the Gold Cup be the event where we find the depth behind the core group.
A whole lot riding on that March window. That's basically the only time before we start playing games that matter where we have any chance of getting the complete first team together. First and last chance to see our whole team together right there. Should be a really interesting window.
I'll have to leave puzzling out the specifics to someone else. but Europe is the obvious place to play. CONMEBOL teams are full up with qualifying, but European teams have three qualifying dates in March, and with five five-team groups, there should be a decent selection of teams with open dates. We need to find two (or three!) European teams that have an open date in March.
Circling back. Which teams are free on ... March 24/25 - none are that appealing Luxembourg (86) Kosovo (127) Lithuania (132) Kazakhstan (116) Belarus (81) March 27/28 - might rather rest Azerbaijan (108) Greece (43) Northern Ireland (33) Bosnia & Herzegovina (35) Wales (19) March 30/31 - might be too tired to give 100% Sweden (14) Switzerland (8) Republic of Ireland (29) Finland (60) Estonia (96) FIFA rankings in ( ), USA currently (24).
You might need to double check on the Group A teams as UEFA has arranged matches with Qatar for those groups on their "spare" days. So Rep. of Ireland at the end of March is already spoken for, for example.
Thanks, I didn't get that far in my research. But the Qatar news isn't so bad, because it means that (at least) some teams would be willing to add a third game.
I think Asian teams will be unavailable, and certainly not coming to Europe, as AFC qualifying takes place in that late March window. Africa seems much more promising, as (per Wiki) CAF qualifying was pushed from March to May/June.
Love the idea of playing a Morocco or Tunisia in France (for instance) in March. Nigeria or Senegal might be good as well. Since there may not be any top 20 Euro teams available (nor South American), this is probably the best option we have for decent games to go with a Euro-based camp. Those African teams would also have a Euro-based squad and therefore interested in having their camp in Europe as well.
Agreed. Maybe we could play one of Tunisia/Algeria/Morocco/Egypt, and one of Senegal/Nigeria/Ghana/Cameroon.
I really like this idea. It would be good to see teams from different regions. A two-game window with Morocco/Algeria/Tunisia/Senegal in France would seem to be a mutually beneficial setup for all involved. If fans are allowed in French stadiums by that time, I would imagine those teams would have some support in France and provide at least a little atmosphere. Have a camp near Paris and play a couple of matches in a smaller stadium around Paris to minimize travel issues.
Uh, hate to be the bearer of bad news again but CAF has two Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games for 48 teams during the March window. So the teams available from CAF are pretty much (as far as I can tell): Liberia, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Djibouti.
FIFA cancels U20 and U17 world championships for 2021, so that's one event that won't be taking our young professionals away from their clubs this year.
Good and bad for this. Good in that there could be more U20 depth available if needed for the Olympic team. But I’d like to see a player like Caden Clark have a chance to impress on the youth international stage.
At this point I think the CONCACAF U23 Championships are on the chopping block. CONCACAF might do what other federations have done and nominate teams based on previous U23 performance. If that's the case...................the CONCACAF representatives will be Mexico and Honduras. The Olympic football tournament itself is probably on the chopping block too. While its at the Olympics, its run by FIFA. The same organization that just cancelled the U17 and U20 World Cups.
The USMNT will reportedly be playing against Serbia on January 31st in Orlando. https://t.co/fWb8ghqCoM— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) December 27, 2020
Looks to be true. The first game mentioned in that article, Dominican Republic vs Serbia on January 25th (in the DR) has been made official: https://www.fedofutbol.do/republica...ico-amistoso-ante-serbia-en-el-felix-sanchez/ #Selecciones| ¡Partido Internacional! ⚽🇩🇴🇷🇸@sedofutbol Absoluta 🆚 @FSSrbije🏟 Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez 📆 Lun 25 de Enero ⏰ 5:00PM#Fedofútbol #FútbolRD pic.twitter.com/vRV15Lg0gm— Federación Dominicana De Fútbol 🇩🇴 (@fedofutbol) December 28, 2020 It seems like just a matter of time before US Soccer confirms the match in Orlando; the paperwork looks to have been signed.