The World Cup preseason is already taking shape, as teams are starting to announce friendly matches as they look to tune up for the tournament. Today, the U.S. Men’s National Team finalized its exhibition schedule, with the team playing four friendlies between March 28 and June 6.
The first two matches will take place in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. On Saturday, March 28, they will take on Belgium, whose roster features Kevin De Bruyne. The match will kick off at 3:30pm ET.
The second match will be on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:00pm ET, and will be against Portugal. The Portuguese team stars Cristiano Ronaldo, who hasn’t played a match in the United States since 2014.
Of course, it’s important to note: the participation of any given player in a friendly match is not guaranteed, so consider that before spending a lot of money on tickets. If Ronaldo sat out the match, ticket prices on resale sites would likely plummet.
The third friendly will take place in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, May 31 at 3:30pm ET. Bank of America Stadium is home to the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. The opponent has not been announced yet.
The fourth and final friendly will be against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday, June 6 at 1:30pm CT. Soldier Field is the home stadium of the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Fire.
Tickets for all of these matches will go on sale this week, so there’s little time to think about it. Visa presales will begin on Thursday, and public onsales will begin on Friday. Targeted presales will also be available starting on Wednesday for those who receive codes.
Opponent | Date | City | Stadium | Presale | Public Onsale |
Belgium | Saturday, March 28, 3:30pm ET | Atlanta, GA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ||
Portugal | Tuesday, March 31, 7:00pm ET | Atlanta, GA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ||
TBD | Sunday, May 31, 3:30pm ET | Charlotte, NC | Bank of America Stadium | ||
Germany | Saturday, June 6, 1:30pm CT | Chicago, IL | Soldier Field |
Schedule Scout – what else is happening around these matches
If you’re thinking about traveling to see any of these matches, you’ll want to know what other sporting events are happening while you’re there.
ATLANTA
Thursday, March 26: Atlanta Braves vs. Kansas City Royals, 4:10pm ET (home opener)
Saturday, March 28: USMNT vs. Belgium, 3:30pm ET
Saturday, March 28: Atlanta Braves vs. Kansas City Royals, 7:15pm ET
Saturday, March 28: Atlanta Hawks vs. Sacramento Kings, 7:30pm ET
Sunday, March 29: Atlanta Braves vs. Kansas City Royals, 1:30pm ET
Monday, March 30: Atlanta Braves vs. Athletics, 7:15pm ET
Monday, March 30: Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30pm ET
Tuesday, March 31: USMNT vs. Portugal, 7:00pm ET
Tuesday, March 31: Atlanta Braves vs. Athletics, 7:15pm ET
Wednesday, April 1: Atlanta Braves vs. Athletics, 12:15pm ET
CHARLOTTE
Friday, May 29: Charlotte Knights vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 7:04pm ET
Saturday, May 30: Charlotte Knights vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 6:05pm ET
Sunday, May 31: Charlotte Knights vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 1:05pm ET
Sunday, May 31: USMNT vs. TBD, 3:30pm ET
CHICAGO
Friday, June 5: Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants (TBD)
Saturday, June 6: Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants (TBD)
Saturday, June 6: USMNT vs. Germany, 1:30pm CT
Sunday, June 7: Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants (TBD)
Bottom Line
We have questions about whether buying tickets during these onsales is a good idea. For the U.S. match against Portugal, the chance to see Cristiano Ronaldo will be compelling enough for many to grab tickets early. But the match is on a Tuesday night, which will limit some fans who might have traveled if it had been scheduled for the weekend, and if Ronaldo doesn’t play, resale prices would likely plummet. It’s a tough call. If you think Ronaldo will play, then it may make sense to buy tickets during the onsale.
For the other matches, we’d watch to see how much tickets cost. For example, prices for the Chicago Fire match last year versus Inter Miami and Lionel Messi at Soldier Field continually fell, and in the end, plenty of tickets were available for less than face value. That suggests to us that tickets for the exhibition match against Germany may not command a very high price. Our advice: if it feels like you’re overpaying, don’t do it, unless you are absolutely determined to see this match.
