The U.S. Women's National Team will play its first post-World Cup match at Cincinnati's TQL Stadium on Sept. 21. The USWNT is scheduled to play South Africa, known as Bayana Bayana, at 7:30 p.m.
It will be the sixth time the USWNT has played in the Queen City.
Like when the team was last here in 2021, the match will be a send-off for a long-time veteran of the national team. Megan Rapinoe has announced she'll retire from professional soccer at the end of 2023. In 2021, fans waved farewell to Carli Lloyd who scored her final international goal during the match in Cincinnati.
"We are thrilled to again host the U.S. Women's National Team at TQL Stadium," said Jeff Berding, FC Cincinnati co-CEO, in a release. "We are looking forward to welcoming Rose Lavelle and Aubrey Kingsbury back home from the World Cup as the USWNT and South Africa come to the Queen City."
Ticket presales begin on Wednesday, July 19, with the public sale beginning on Tuesday, July 25.
The USWNT is looking to defend its title as the 2023 World Cup kicks off July 20.
The Americans open play against Vietnam on Friday, July 21, at 9 p.m. EDT. Next they face Netherlands Wednesday, July 26, also at 9 p.m. The third group-stage fixture is against Portugal on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 3 a.m. EDT.
History of USWNT in Cincinnati
The USWNT last played in Cincinnati in 2021, trouncing Paraguay 8-nil. Cincinnati native Rose Lavelle delighted fans by scoring a goal and turning in three assists.
In 2017, the USA defeated New Zealand 5-0 in front of 30,596 fans at Nippert Stadium. U.S. Soccer reported it was the largest crowd ever in Ohio to attend a Women's National Team match. Lavelle, a Mount Notre Dame High School graduate, was recovering from a hamstring injury and played just 33 minutes during the 2017 match.
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Prior to 2017, the United States women played 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 Galbraith Field.
