Spain return to action in style. This Saturday, Sonia Bermúdez’s side will face the United States in Washington, D.C. Four months after their last outing, when they defeated Iceland to secure qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, Spain begin the new season against one of the major powers in international football. It will be the first of two consecutive meetings with the United States.

Spain completed their final training session at the match venue on Friday. Before taking to the pitch, head coach Sonia Bermúdez and Lucía Corrales spoke to the media. Bermúdez made her intentions clear, stating: “There are no friendlies, and we will go out to win the match.” Meanwhile, Corrales highlighted the value of facing such a high-calibre opponent at the start of the season: “It is the best possible preparation for the World Cup next summer.”

Claudia Pina and María León withdraw from the squad, while Lucía García joins the training camp.

The head-to-head record between Spain and the United States currently favours the American side, who have won three of their four meetings. Spain’s victory came in their most recent encounter, played in Pamplona on 11 October 2022. Spain recorded a historic 2–0 win, ending the United States’ unbeaten run thanks to goals from Laia Codina and Esther González.

That day at El Sadar, a record crowd of 11,209 watched Spain’s women’s national team in action. That figure has since been surpassed several times, with the current attendance record standing at 55,843, set at the 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League final at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium.

The match will take place at Audi Field, located in the southwest of Washington, D.C. The stadium opened in July 2018 and holds approximately 20,000 spectators. It is home to D.C. United of Major League Soccer and Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League. Designed specifically for football, the venue will host the first of two clashes between the teams at the top of the FIFA Women’s World Ranking.

The officiating team will be led by Mexican referee Diana Pérez. She will be assisted by compatriot Enedina Caudillo and Barbadian Abigail Brathwaite, while Nicaragua’s Marjorie Ponce will serve as fourth official. Tatiana Guzmán, also from Nicaragua, will oversee VAR, with Mexican official Francia González acting as assistant VAR.