The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) will play the New Zealand National Team in a friendly in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Sept. 19.The match will be played at Nippert Stadium at 7:30 p.m. and is part of two-game set. The teams are also set to play Sept. 15 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.
FC Cincinnati made the announcement Friday alongside Cincinnati-native and national team player Rose Lavelle.
Tickets go on sale Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. on ussoccer.com.
"The fall friendly matches are an important transition period to 2018 and we want to get the most out of them by continuing to play teams with World Cup and Olympic experience like New Zealand," says U.S. head coach Jill Ellis.
Ellis adds in a statement that the team is excited to play in Cincinnati. "The fans there have shown extraordinary support for their USL team and we’re looking forward to an enthusiastic crowd for our match as well."
USsoccer.com last month dubbed Cincinnati "the capital of American soccer" after it recorded record attendance numbers.
Bringing a national team match to the Queen City has been on FC Cincinnati's radar since launching in 2015. The team, which currently plays in second-tier USL, has been making a strong case for being admitted into top-tier Major League Soccer beating two MLS teams in the U.S. Open Cup tournament.
The United States women last played in Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium in 2004 during a 10-game celebration tour after winning Olympic gold in Athens, Greece, and in 2008's 'Achieve Your Gold Tour'. Former national team defender and St. Ursula graduate Heather Mitts featured in both the 2004 6-0 win against New Zealand and the 2008 0-0 draw with Korea Republic.
The USA's first match in Cincinnati was a 7-0 victory over Canada June 12, 1993 at Galbreath Field.
Cincinnati Development Academy
FC Cincinnati is joining the Cincinnati Development Academy as an official sponsor. The Girls' Development Academy was one of the first 25 selected by US Soccer. Teams will wear jerseys bearing the FC Cincinnati name with play begins this fall.
"We are committed to growing the game of soccer beyond the men’s game” says FCC President Jeff Berding in a statement. "There are a number of talented players from the Greater Cincinnati region, including elite players such as Heather Mitts and Rose Lavelle, who have become role models for our youth. With the bar continuing to be raised by U.S. Soccer we feel strongly about not only supporting but participating in raising the bar for our youth players here in the region."
