CINCINNATI – The U.S. Men’s National Team will return to the Queen City in June for an international friendly against Morocco.
What You Need To Know
- The USMNT will play Morocco on June 1
- It will be the third U.S. Soccer match hosted at TQL Stadium
- It is one of the final tune-up matches before the World Cup
- The U.S. men have never defeated Morocco
The match between the United States and Morocco on June 1 will be the third U.S. Soccer match hosted at TQL Stadium since it opened in May 2021.
Cincinnati hosted a women’s friendly between the U.S. and Paraguay on Sept. 21. In November, the U.S. defeated archrival Mexico, 2-0, in front of a sellout crowd of 26,000 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The victory over Mexico played a key role in helping the USMNT secure a spot in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The No. 15-ranked United States will play in Group B — England, Iran and the winner of a European playoff between Scotland, Wales or Ukraine.
“Last November, our city showed its passion for soccer and our national team by packing TQL Stadium and cheering the USMNT onto another Dos a Cero,” said Jeff Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati, which plays its home matches at TQL Stadium.
The national team matches are an international showcase for Cincinnati. Berding and other greater Cincinnati leaders hope the success of the matches earns Cincinnati the right to host a World Cup match in 2026 when the tournament comes to North America.
“Our world class facilities and passionate fanbase will be ready to host the U.S. once again in June as they prepare for the 2022 World Cup," Berding said.
The match against Morocco will be one of their final tune-ups before the start of the tournament gets underway this fall.
Morocco, currently ranked 24th in the FIFA World Rankings, qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, posting a 7-0-1 unbeaten record in qualifying. The Atlas Lions, the name of Morocco’s national team, will play in Group F, featuring Belgium, Canada and Croatia.
The U.S. men’s team has never defeated Morocco in three previous meetings.
Morocco will be the first African team to face the United States since coach Gregg Berhalter has been in charge.
“We’re excited to face a fellow World Cup finalist and provide our team with a different challenge,” Berhalter said. “With only six international games before the World Cup, this is a critical period for our team preparation. Combining the magnificent training facilities, the world-class stadium and the amazing atmosphere, Cincinnati ticked all the boxes to give us a great start to these summer matches.”
FC Cincinnati season-ticket holders will have an exclusive presale window to purchase tickets to the friendly beginning April 27 at 10 a.m. and ending April 28 at 8 a.m.
Ticket sales to the general public start Friday, April 29.