The U.S. women’s national team will kick off its 2026 schedule in Carson, California.

Dignity Health Sports Park will host the USWNT’s first match of 2026, a friendly against Paraguay on January 24, U.S. Soccer announced Thursday. Los Angeles native Christen Press will be honored with a prematch ceremony. 

A second friendly at a different venue is scheduled to be announced on Jan. 27. The squad will also have a training camp take place starting on Jan. 17. 

“January camp is a vitally important part of our yearly schedule, especially with 2026 being a year that will host World Cup qualifying,” said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes. “We don’t get many training days together during any given year, so there is a high value in getting a whole week of training as well as two matches. I was pleased with the progress we made as a team in 2025, but we still have a ways to go to get to where we want to be heading into the Concacaf W Championship in the fall.”

Press scored 64 goals for the USWNT during her international career, which is ranked as the ninth-most all time in team history. She helped the U.S. win back-to-back Women’s World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019 and played the final four years of her professional club career for her hometown club, Angel City FC.

Paraguay is currently ranked No. 41 in FIFA’s Women’s Rankings. This will mark the third-ever meeting between the two countries.

The USWNT scored 17 goals in their prior two matchups back in 2021.

Hayes’ squad has a busy year ahead with FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying coming up later in 2026.