ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 10, 2024) – The U.S. Men’s National Team will complete a two-match Florida swing with a friendly against Costa Rica on Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Kickoff from the home of Orlando City and NWSL champion Orlando Pride is 7 p.m. ET.
The match will be broadcast live on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, Max and Peacock. Live Spanish-language audio for the match will be available on Fútbol de Primera radio.
Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season Ticket Members will receive presale access to the match, starting at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 12, with a presale window for the Club’s mailing list subscribers (subscribe here) starting at 1 p.m. ET the same day. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 13.
Fans will be able to follow the match via Twitter @USMNT, Instagram @USMNT, Facebook and The Official U.S. Soccer App.
With the match date falling outside a FIFA international window, the training camp and matches against Venezuela (Jan. 18 in Ft. Lauderdale) and Costa Rica provide a huge opportunity for the next generation to make a statement to USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino as he continues to evaluate the player pool ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This is an important year for the program which includes the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, the last opportunities for players to showcase their abilities in official competitions before the World Cup.
“For a long time the January Camp has been an important part of the development of the National Team. It’s a unique opportunity to work with our MLS players closely and then finish with a good challenge against Costa Rica,” USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “Orlando has always been an amazing host for U.S. Soccer and we are excited for another chance to play in front of their fans.”
TURNING JANUARY CAMP INTO WORLD CUP OPPORTUNITIES
The annual January Camp has a long history of providing chances for MLS-based players to get an extended look from the coaching staff and make an impact. There are numerous examples of players who got a first look with the USMNT during a January Camp and went on to make a World Cup roster.
From the USA’s squad at Qatar 2022, nine players earned their first or second cap during a January camp match, including captain Tyler Adams, forward Brenden Aaronson, defenders Walker Zimmerman and Tim Ream and starting goalkeeper Matt Turner. The list of alumni also includes five members of the 100-cap club: Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.
TOUGH GOING AGAINST THE TICOS
Costa Rica has proven throughout the decades to be a most formidable opponent. In the nearly 50 years since the first encounter, the overall record is a near even at 19W-17L-6D with the slight edge going to the USMNT. All 19 of the USA’s victories have come at home, most recently the 2-1 win in World Cup Qualifying on Oct. 13, 2021, in front of a sold-out crowd in Columbus, Ohio punctuated by the wonder strike from Sergiño Dest.
In addition, the USMNT faced Costa Rica in one of its most memorable home matches ever: the Snow Clasico in Commerce City, Colo. on March 22, 2013. Playing during a snowstorm in the Rocky Mountains, Clint Dempsey scored the USA’s lone goal for a 1-0 win.
OPPONENTS BEWARE OF THE LIONS DEN
The home of Orlando City and the Orlando Pride has been quite inhospitable to guests of the USMNT as not a single opponent has left with a winning result. The perfect 6-0-0 record for the United States includes matches in World Cup Qualifiers and the Concacaf Nations League. Four of the six U.S. victories have come by shutout with the Americans pouring in 22 goals overall while surrendering just two.
The USA’s last January camp appearance in Orlando came Jan. 31, 2021. In the 7-0 route of Trinidad & Tobago, future World Cup 'keeper Matt Turner earned a shutout in his international debut and three different U.S. attackers – Paul Arriola, Jesús Ferreira and Jonathan Lewis – scored multiple goals, a feat that had last been accomplished in 1993.
