:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67088590/usa_today_13497547.0.jpg)
United States men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter convened with media on Tuesday afternoon and spoke on many different topics. The most revealing item to emerge is that it appears we’ll see the USMNT back in action before the end of 2020.
Berhalter told reporters that he expects Concacaf World Cup qualifying to begin in November. A month before that, FIFA has a window that should be utilized for friendlies. Mexico just recently announced they’ll be playing the Netherlands during that time. You have to expect we’ll see the U.S. follow suit with a friendly or two in Europe after the domestic seasons are wrapped up.
Among the slew of comments made by #usmnt national team manager Gregg Berhalter on a conference call with reporters, he said he expects World Cup qualifying to start in November while October int'l window be for other matches. (It sounds like friendlies most likely.)
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) July 21, 2020
While very few details of what World Cup qualifying could look like with the pandemic ongoing have been revealed, Berhalter says that if games are played without fans it would benefit his team.
Berhalter added that if World Cup qualifying is played without fans in attendance it could benefit the #USMNT, which is usually met by hostile and intimidating crowds on the road CONCACAF.
— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) July 21, 2020
Matches behind closed doors have become the new normal in almost every corner of the world. If we are to see World Cup qualifying this year, it stands to reason that it’ll be without fans as well.
If the USMNT return to play in October, it will have been 11 months since the first team has played a match, if you don’t count the January friendly against Costa Rica that featured very few regulars.
Who would you like to see the U.S. play in a friendly in October? Let us know below.