USA vs Peru: a new cycle for the Americans and a test for Peru
On September 26 in Orlando, the United States national team will play its first match since the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Their opponents will be Peru, and the encounter at Inter&Co Stadium effectively opens a new chapter for the American team. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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At the World Cup, the Americans reached the Round of 16, where they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, before losing to Belgium in the next round. Now Mauricio Pochettino is beginning a full four-year preparation cycle for the 2030 World Cup, and the first squad already shows that the coach is eager to make significant changes. Of the 28 players called up, 13 featured at the 2026 World Cup, while several others have received their first senior national-team call-ups.
At the same time, Orlando will be without many of the team's usual leaders. Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun were not included in the squad for the September and October fixtures. Just before the start of camp, the USA also lost Ricardo Pepi, with the striker picking up an injury in PSV's match against Twente. Damion Downs has been called up in his place.
There will be plenty of opportunities for young players, however. The squad includes 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, who has already drawn attention with his goalscoring exploits in MLS. Experienced players such as Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah and Malik Tillman also remain in the lineup. It will be particularly intriguing to see how Pochettino balances the veterans with the next generation.
Peru are also heading into the match with a new coach. Brazilian manager Mano Menezes has been in charge since January 2026, and the September camp should provide another opportunity to build a squad ahead of the next qualifying cycle. The roster features 26 players, including several names familiar to American fans: goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, Yoshimar Yotún, André Carrillo and Gianluca Lapadula.
Peru's recent results have been mixed. In March, the team lost 2-0 to Senegal and drew 2-2 with Honduras, then beat Haiti 2-1 before suffering a painful 3-1 defeat to Spain in June. Peru currently sit 50th in the FIFA rankings.
The head-to-head record also points to an intriguing contest. The USA and Peru have met seven times: the Americans have won three, Peru twice, while two matches ended in draws. Their most recent meeting came back in 2018 and finished 1-1.
The main intrigue now goes beyond the result. For the USA, this is a chance to determine who is truly ready to become part of the team over the next four years. For Peru, it is an opportunity to test themselves against the hosts of the recent World Cup. With so many young players and experimental lineups, the match could well be open and highly unpredictable.
My prediction: USA to win.
