Christian Segovia 
The 2026 Men’s World Cup may be over, but another major international soccer tournament is already on the horizon. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil, and soccer fans in the Washington, D.C. area will get an early look at two of the tournament’s biggest contenders this fall. The reigning Olympic champion U.S. Women’s National Team will face defending FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on October 10th. The friendly will feature the world’s two highest-ranked women’s national teams, with Spain currently ranked No. 1 and the United States No. 2. Read on for more about the USWNT vs. Spain match at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., including a special celebration honoring soccer legend Crystal Dunn.
Why the Match Matters
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is held every four years and brings together 32 national teams competing for the sport’s biggest international title. The 10th edition of the tournament will take place in Brazil in 2027, marking the first time the Women’s World Cup will be hosted in South America.
As of September 2026, 14 teams have qualified for the tournament. The United States has not yet officially secured its place in the World Cup. The USWNT begins its qualification run at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship later this year. The U.S. will face El Salvador in the quarterfinals on November 27th at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium in Mansfield, Texas. A victory would send the United States to the semifinals and automatically secure a spot in the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
Before that qualification campaign begins, the October matches against Spain will provide the USWNT with a major test against the reigning world champions.
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“We’ve desperately wanted to get Spain on our schedule, but the difficulties of scheduling the top teams during the women’s international calendar are well known, so to be able to get these two games on the East Coast will be the perfect tests before we head into World Cup qualifying at the end of the year,” USWNT Head Coach Emma Hayes said, per the Washington Spirit.
The teams will meet twice during the October international window. The first match will take place at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on October 10th, followed by a second match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 13th.
Crystal Dunn Will Be Honored Before the Match
Before the U.S. and Spain take the field at Audi Field, fans will also get to celebrate the career of USWNT legend Crystal Dunn. A special pregame retirement ceremony will honor the former U.S. defender, who announced her retirement from professional soccer in January 2026. The first 2,000 fans through the gates will also receive a special-edition Crystal Dunn commemorative bobblehead.
Crystal was selected first overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2014 NWSL College Draft. During the 2015 season, she scored a league-leading 15 goals and earned both the NWSL Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player honors. She went on to make 160 appearances for the U.S. Women’s National Team, recording 25 goals and 20 assists. Dunn was also part of the U.S. squad that won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Audi Field
Audi Field is home to the Washington Spirit, and several Spirit players have been called up to the USWNT over the past year, including forward Trinity Rodman, Tara Rudd, Kate Wiesner, and Hal Hershfelt. The national team also has a Northern Virginia connection through defender Emily Fox, who is from Ashburn. The final USWNT roster for the October matches has not yet been announced.
The USWNT vs. Spain match isn’t the only major women’s soccer event coming to Audi Field this fall. The stadium will also host the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League Championship on November 21st. Kickoff is scheduled for 8PM ET.
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“Add to it that we will also host the NWSL Championship this year, and it’s clear our city has earned its place on the biggest stages in the game. This is another opportunity for our fanbase and the entire community to see world-class soccer right at home, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the USWNT back,” Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone said in a statement.
How to Get Tickets
The U.S. Women’s National Team will face Spain at Audi Field on Saturday, October 10th at 2:30PM ET.
Tickets are available through SeatGeek and Ticketmaster.
The match will also air on TBS and HBO Max in English and Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock in Spanish.
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