USMNT to open busy 2024 with a January friendly against Slovenia

The United States men's national team will kick off what promises to be a jam-packed 2024 schedule with a Jan. 20 friendly match against Slovenia in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Soccer announced on Monday.

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It's the Americans' first visit to the city since 2015, when the USMNT defeated Mexico 2-0 on goals by Juan Agudelo and Jordan Morris. The U.S. has met Slovenia twice before, most recently a 3-2 friendly win in 2011 in Ljubljana. The teams also had a memorable encounter in the second group stage game of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when the U.S. rallied back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to tie. The Americans were denied a late winner when an apparent goal by midfielder Maurice Edu, now a soccer analyst for FOX Sports, was ruled offside despite television replays showing that Edu was on.

There was no video review at the time — VAR wouldn't make its World Cup debut for another eight years — but the point was enough to help the U.S. top a group that also contained England and Algeria.

January's exhibition will be played at the 8,000-seat Toyota Park, home to San Antonio FC of the second-tier USL Championship. Because the game falls in the middle of the European club season and outside designated windows set aside by FIFA for national team meetings, U.S. stars like AC Milan's Christian Pulisic and Juventus's Weston McKennie won't be available.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter is therefore likely to select a roster comprised mainly if not entirely of MLS players. Just one MLSer, central defender Miles Robinson, was on the squad Berhalter picked earlier this month for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals against Trinidad and Tobago. Still, many current USMNT regulars cut their teeth at an annual January camp, including 2022 World Cup starters Tyler Adams, Tim Ream and Matt Turner.

The match against Slovenia will ring in a huge year for the Americans. In March, they'll try to claim a third straight Nations League title. The U.S.-hosted 2024 Copa América then begins in June. And in August, a USMNT made up mostly of players 23 years old or younger is slated to participate in the Olympics for the first time since 2008.

"This is an opportunity for us to identify and work with the next generation of players who have the potential to make an impact on our program," Berhalter said of the meeting with Slovenia and the training camp that precedes it. "With the World Cup coming to the United States in 2026, we have placed a huge priority on getting as many players as possible experience in important competitions. Between the Olympics, CONCACAF Nations League and Copa América, the chances are there for players to make a statement, and for many of them the game in San Antonio can be an important first step."

The location of the friendly is intentional, too. In the build-up to the 2026 World Cup — which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico — U.S. Soccer intends to take its men's, women's and youth national teams to cites that have been underserved historically.

"As part of our core mission to grow the game, we think it's important to bring the national teams to different markets across the United States as well as showcase the great work being done at all levels of the sport," said David Wright, the federation's chief commercial officer. "San Antonio certainly deserves that recognition."

Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men's and women's national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.