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The United States women’s national team will play Mexico at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, on July 13 in the Americans’ penultimate game before leaving for the 2024 Paris Olympics, US Soccer announced Friday.
The game against Mexico is expected to be the third in charge for incoming coach Emma Hayes, who will first complete her season on the sidelines at Chelsea, where she has served as head coach since 2012.
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Mexico defeated the United States 2-0 last month in the group stage of the Concacaf W Gold Cup in just its second victory in 43 meetings between the teams.
The United States bounced back to win the Gold Cup, beating Brazil 1-0 in the final on March 10.
The Americans will play another home game after the July 13 game, although the exact date, location and opponent have yet to be announced.
They begin their Olympic campaign on July 25 against Morocco or Zambia in Nice, France, before group matches against Germany and Australia.
The United States won four of the first five Olympic gold medals in women’s soccer, but has not been on the podium since 2012, earning a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Last year marked their worst result in World Cup history after being eliminated by Sweden in a penalty shootout in the round of 16.
At the July 13 match at Red Bull Arena, US Soccer will honor the 1999 World Cup winning team with a pre-game celebration and reunion of the team’s players. This summer marks the 25th anniversary of the United States’ World Cup triumph on home soil, its second of four World Cup titles to date.
“This will be a fun and inspiring weekend,” US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone, who played on the 1999 Women’s World Cup team, said in a statement.
“Fans will have the opportunity to show their support for the team before traveling to France and at the same time celebrate our 1999 Women’s World Cup team. This is a group of women who did a lot for the sport and the impact of that team and tournament. It still feels 25 years later, especially now that we are bidding for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. I can’t wait to see my teammates and friends.”
The United States and Mexico are jointly competing to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. FIFA will decide between that bid, one from Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, on May 17.
There are six games left on the schedule for the United States before the 2024 Olympics: two in next month’s SheBelieves Cup, a pair of friendlies against South Korea in June (expected to be Hayes’ first games in charge), the game against Mexico and a farewell match at the end of July.