Honduras confirms warmup matches

Honduras will play Azerbaijan, Belarus and Romania in friendly matches ahead of the World Cup.

Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda said Thursday that contracts had been signed for the three games and that officials were also negotiating for a friendly match with fellow World Cup qualifier North Korea.

The Central American team will play Azerbaijan in an unspecified location in Austria on May 27, before matches against Belarus on June 2 and then Romania three days later. Rueda did not give venues for the final two friendlies.

"These games will be very important to evaluate our situation before the World Cup, to see what condition we're in, and to hope that everyone called up arrives in the best shape possible," Rueda said.

Honduras is in the World Cup for only the second time and will play in Group H with Spain, Chile and Switzerland.

Honduras fans are hoping for a better showing than in 1982, when it drew two matches and lost the other as the team failed to make the knockout stage.