USA confirms pre-World Cup friendly opponents including team they’ve never played before

The United States men's national team will play Senegal in a friendly match on 31 May in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking their penultimate fixture before the World Cup .

The US Soccer Federation confirmed the encounter on Thursday, which will be the first meeting between the two nations.

This game is one of four remaining for the 14th-ranked Americans as they prepare to co-host the World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada.

Their schedule includes clashes with eighth-ranked Belgium on 28 March and sixth-ranked Portugal three days later, both held in Atlanta.

Following the match against 19th-ranked Senegal , the US will face ninth-ranked Germany on 6 June in Chicago.

At the World Cup , the United States will commence their Group D campaign against 39th-ranked Paraguay on 12 June in Inglewood, California.

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Senegal will face USA next May (AFP via Getty Images)

They then play 26th-ranked Australia seven days later in Seattle, before concluding the group stage back in Inglewood on 25 June against the winner of a playoff involving Turkey (25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47), and Kosovo (80).

Senegal, meanwhile, will begin their Group I fixtures against third-ranked France on 16 June, followed by 29th-ranked Norway six days later, both in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Lions of Teranga will complete their first-round matches on 26 June in Toronto against either Bolivia (76), Iraq (58), or Suriname (123).

Senegal will be expected to offer the US a serious test ahead of the World Cup as they have a squad that boasts some highly-talented players, including ex-Liverpool forward Sadio Mane.

Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021 after finishing as runners-up two years earlier.

They then went on reach the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup , beating Qatar and Ecuador in their group, before exiting the tournament after losing 3-0 to England in the round of 16.