CHICAGO (Sept. 30, 2021) - Tickets are sold out for the USA-Jamaica FIFA World Cup Qualifier on Oct. 7 in Austin, Texas.
The USMNT’s first qualifier in the state of Texas will start at 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET) and will be broadcast live on ESPN2, Univision and TUDN (pregame coverage on Univision and TUDN will start at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET).
Fans are strongly encouraged to arrive early.
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter has called 27 players to Austin to begin preparations for the next phase of 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. The BioSteel USMNT Training Camp roster will report to camp starting this Sunday.
U.S. Soccer will host a series of activities leading up to the match, including the U.S. Soccer X Budweiser Kick-Off Party on Wednesday, Oct. 6th at the Lustre Pearl Rainey [REGISTER HERE]. More details on the events will be available in the near future.
AGAINST JAMAICA
The USA and Jamaica have tussled for more than 30 years, and the encounter in Austin marks the 15thmeeting in World Cup Qualifying. The USMNT holds a 7-1-6 record in those contests and a 17-3-8 advantage overall.
The nations have met twice already this year. The USMNT earned a 4-1 friendly win against the Reggae Boyz in a friendly on March 25 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Four months later Matthew Hoppe’s first international goal gave the USA a 1-0 victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinal on July 25 in Arlington, Texas.
This meeting falls on the 20thanniversary of the historic win against theReggae Boyzthat sent the United States to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, in which they reached the quarterfinal for the first time in 72 years. Playing on Oct. 7, 2001, and as the first team to represent the United States following the September 11 attacks, a pair of goals by Joe-Max Moore lifted the USMNT to an emotional and memorable 2-1 victory.
FIRST OF THREE IN OCTOBER
The match against Jamaica is part of the ‘triple date’ in World Cup Qualifying during which the U.S. will play three matches in seven days. Following the game in Austin, the USMNT travels to face Panama on Oct. 10 in Panama City. Three days later, the USA will host Costa Rica at Lower.com Field in Columbus.
Under the new qualifying format, a total of eight teams – increased from six in previous cycles - will compete in the Final Round, with the top three teams advancing to Qatar ’22. The fourth-place team will participate in an Intercontinental playoff for the last spot.
- World Cup Qualifying 101: Learn More About the USMNT’s Journey to Qatar
While the road to Qatar is long and winding, the USMNT has positioned itself well at the start of the campaign, completing the opening window of 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying with an undefeated 1-0-2 record during the first “triple date,” picking up four points on the road including an historic comeback in the 4-1 win away to Honduras. With five points total from three matches, the USA sits in second place in the table tied with Canada. This also marks the second-highest point total from the previous six qualifying cycles in which the United States began with two of three matches away from home.