The work of determining what's next for the US national team will begin in earnest next month with a friendly away to Portugal on Nov. 14, US Soccer announced Monday.
The match against the defending European champions falls on an international fixture date, which makes all players available for selection.
The American team had hoped to be spending the November window beginning the work of finalizing a World Cup roster, or at worst, contesting a two-legged World Cup playoff against Australia. Instead, after last Tuesday's shock loss at Trinidad and Tobago and failure to qualify for Russia 2018, the friendly will be the first chance the US program has to begin evaluating players for the 2022 cycle.
The US will face the 2016 European champions for the seventh time after compiling a 2-2-2 record against A Seleccao, and will visit Portugal for the first time since 1990. Most recently, the Yanks drew Portugal 2-2 in their second group game at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Led by 2016 FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese advanced to the 2018 FIFA World Cup by winning a top-heavy Group B in UEFA qualifying on goal difference over Switzerland. Ronaldo (15) and Andres Silva (9) accounted for 24 of the 32 goals scored by Portugal in the campaign, the fourth-highest total in Europe.
