The United States and Ecuador will face off in a new international friendly as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The game will be held in Austin, Texas and will be another opportunity to see the up-and-coming talent from both teams.
Both teams have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup in North America (USA, Mexico, Canada) and are using this October’s FIFA schedule to try out new tactical combinations. The USMNT, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, will field a mix of European stars and MLS players. Ecuador, on the other hand, arrives with a bright foundation in the CONMEBOL qualifiers and will put their young prospects to the test.
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What time is the USA vs. Ecuador game? Where can I watch it?
The game between the USMNT and Ecuador will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 PM ET. This match is the first of two friendlies for the USMNT this FIFA period, with the next match being against Australia.
If you prefer to watch live, the game will be available in English on TNT, truTV, HBO Max, and Peacock. In Spanish, it will be available on Universo, including pre-match coverage and post-match analysis. This game will be a great opportunity to see the growth of the U.S. national team, which defeated Japan 2-0 in the previous game and was in doubt of making it to the Gold Cup.
Possible lineup for USMNT vs. Ecuador – International Friendly Match
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has called up a 26-man squad, including Christian Pulisic, Anthony Robinson and Chris Richards. The starting eleven includes Matt Freeze in goal, Alex Freeman and Robinson at full-back, and Ream and Richards in central defence.
In midfield, Tanner Tessmann and Cristian Roldan will occupy the first line, with Weston McKennie taking on a more attacking role, with Tyler Adams out for personal reasons. In attack, Folarin Balogun is expected to be the center forward, joined by Pulisic and Alejandro Zendejas. Projected U.S. lineup to play against Ecuador: Matt Freese. Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Anthony Robinson. Tanner Tesman, Cristian Roldan. Alejandro Zendejas, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic. Folarin Balogun.
Meanwhile, Ecuador, coached by Sebastian Beccasese, arrive with a strong squad despite being without Moises Caicedo and Piero Hincapie. Players such as Ener Valencia and William Paccio led the team, which finished second in the South American qualifying round. Kendry Paes and Leo Campana will also be called up.
Possible Ecuador squad to play against the USMNT: Hernan Galíndez, Angelo Preciado, Joel Ordonez, Willian Pacho, Pervis Estupinan, Denil Castillo, Pedro Vité, Alan Franco, John Yeboah, Nilsson Angulo, Ener Valencia.
With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, this friendly will gauge the current level of both teams and allow the coaching staff to make adjustments before the final call-up.
