Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Paris Olympic women’s football champion United States will host Brazil next April in rematches of this year’s gold medal final, US Soccer announced on Monday. The top-ranked Americans, who beat Brazil 1-0 in France last August on a goal by Mallory Swanson to claim Olympic gold, will entertain eighth-ranked Brazil on April 5 at Los Angeles and April 8 at San Jose, California.
“These are matches against a top team in fantastic stadiums that will be as fun for the players as they are for the fans,” US coach Emma Hayes said. The LA friendly will mark the first women’s professional sports event at SoFi Stadium, home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers and planned site of eight matches in the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
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The venue will install natural grass for the World Cup during next March’s CONCACAF Nations League Final Four, and it will be tested in the USA-Brazil match. “To play the first ever women’s professional match at SoFi Stadium is a great honor and one worthy of this team,” Hayes said.
The US women will also face Japan, Australia, and Colombia next February in the 2025 She Believes Cup. Brazil, the 2027 Women’s World Cup hosts, are 3-33 with five drawn against the US.
© 2024 AFP
