RIP January Camp for the United States Men’s National Team, but hello December Camp. Today, U.S. Soccer announced that the USMNT will face Jamaica in a friendly on December 13th at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Kickoff is set for 3:30pm ET.
The match, like it did when they played in January, occurs outside of a FIFA international window, so it is expected to feature a USMNT roster that is largely comprised of MLS-based players whose teams are eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs. There
is a chance that some players from Europe whose teams are entering a winter break could also participate, but because the match occurs outside of an official international window, club teams are not required to release players for this match. Still, it will be a chance for head coach Mauricio Pochettino to evaluate some domestic players against a Concacaf foe.
“As we continue to build our group, this is an excellent opportunity to work with many of the MLS players and potentially see some new faces,” Mauricio Pochettino said in a statement released by the federation. “Jamaica is the type of team we could see in upcoming tournaments including World Cup Qualifying, so it’s a great opportunity and experience for these players. Of course, we love to play in Ft. Lauderdale and to have the support of the amazing fans in the area.”
The USMNT will be competing against Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals in November, with a spot in the Concacaf Nations League Finals at stake through the two-legged series. The USMNT and Jamaica will have an interesting opportunity to scout each other up close. The first leg of the the quarterfinals for the USMNT will take place at Sabina Park in Kingston, as Haiti is not allowed to host home matches in Port-au-Prince due to political unrest. Jamaica will host Mexico in their first quarterfinal leg at Independence Park just a couple miles away, with kickoff set for 90 minutes following the end of the USMNT-Haiti match.
With the announcement of Jamaica as the opponent, it will mark the fourth straight Concacaf team the USMNT will face to close out 2026. They hope to finish out the year with an unblemished record against those teams as they seek to prepare for a 2027 that will include potentially the Concacaf Nations League Finals, the Concacaf Gold Cup, and World Cup qualifying beginning next October.
The United States and Jamaica will compete at Inter Miami CF Stadium (formerly Chase Stadium), a 21,550-seat stadium on the site of the former Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Currently home to Inter Miami CF II, it was the home of the senior team for the first six years of the club’s history before the team moved to Nu Stadium in Miami this year. Nu Stadium was not guaranteed to be available on December 13th due to Inter Miami’s qualification for the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs, but it’s still a chance for South Floridians to see the USMNT one more time during the holiday season. It will be the seventh time the USMNT have played in Fort Lauderdale, holding a 5W-0L-1D record when playing in Broward County. They hope to continue that form against Jamaica as they play them for the first time ever in the state of Florida with a large Jamaican population residing in the area.
