Who Is the USWNT’s Opponent in 2027 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers?

Emma Hayes’s team will head to Texas in November looking to book its spot in next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

United States forward Sophia Wilson (left) and defender Naomi Girma are expected to star at next summer’s World Cup. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The U.S. women’s national team has learnt its fate for the upcoming Concacaf 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

On Tuesday, April 21, Concacaf announced that the USWNT will take on El Salvador for a spot in next summer’s tournament in Brazil. That World Cup qualifier will take place on Nov. 27.

Things are getting serious for manager Emma Hayes in 2026 with competition for roster spots tougher than ever. These 2027 Women’s World Cup qualifiers dates present a clear target for this group.

How do Concacaf W World Cup qualifiers work?

World Cup qualifying in the Concacaf region will take place from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5 and will be hosted at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium in Mansfield, Texas, and Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.

The qualifying tournament is known as the 2026 Concacaf W Championship and will feature eight nations. In the first round, the quarterfinals, all eight nations will be seeded 1–8 by FIFA rankings.

Quarterfinals, Friday, Nov. 27; Saturday, Nov. 28:

(1) United States vs. (8) El Salvador
(2) Canada vs. (7) Panama
(3) Mexico vs. (6) Haiti
(4) Jamaica vs. (5) Costa Rica

The qualifying path is pretty simple; it’s win and in. Win your quarterfinal, and you’re off to Brazil. All four quarterfinal winners will earn a berth at the 2027 Women’s World Cup. They will also advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Concacaf W Championship.

So, for the USWNT, it’s beat El Salvador. That’s it.

In addition to the four automatic spots available for the 2027 World Cup, there are also three spots for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles up for grabs. These will go to whichever two nations reach the final of the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, as well as the team that wins the third-place playoff.

Should the United States, who have already qualified as host of the Olympics, finish as one of the top three teams at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, then one of the three Olympic berths will be given to the fourth-place finisher.

All eyes on what’s coming: 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗳 𝗪 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MRPAbuxIQQ

— Concacaf W (@ConcacafW) April 21, 2026

Two playoff places also available

There is something else to keep in mind. The road to Brazil isn’t quite over for the four losing quarterfinalists because those four losing nations will move into the play-In round, where they will face off for the two playoff spots at FIFA’s intercontinental 2027 World Cup Play-Off Tournament, which will take place in February 2027.

Back in 2023, Panama and Haiti were successful at the World Cup Play-Off Tournament and booked their tickets to Australia & New Zealand via the play-In round.

What is the USWNT’s record against El Salvador?

Incredibly, records indicate that in the USWNT’s 41-year history, the team has never faced off against El Salvador before. This upcoming 2027 World Cup qualifier will provide an intriguing first chapter between these two Concacaf nations.

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