The US men's national team has lined up its next game this year, a friendly at Northern Ireland on March 28. The game will be played at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast, with kickoff at 12 pm ET. FOX, UniMas, and TUDN will broadcast the match.
Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the match will be played behind closed doors.
For the first time since the pandemic began last year, head coach Gregg Berhalter will have access to both his Europe- and MLS-based players at the same time. The camp and game will provide a crucial opportunity for the team to prepare for a busy 2021, which includes Concacaf Nations League matches, the Gold Cup, and World Cup qualifying. US Soccer added that they were still attempting to secure a second match in Europe during the international window.
“This is a good opportunity to work with our full group before the Nations League Final Four in June,” Berhalter said in a release. “We’ve been excited about the progress our players continue to make with their clubs, and now we have another chance to strengthen our group ahead of the start of World Cup qualifying later this year. Northern Ireland is a very competitive team and brings a different set of challenges in the way they play. We look forward to a great experience.”
This marks only the second meeting between the two teams, with the first coming in 1948. Northern Ireland beat the United States 5-0 that day in Belfast.
