Sports Illustrated Stadium to Host 2026 International Friendlies
- Emilio Lopez
- May 12
- 6 min read
As we prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup which commences on June 11 2026, we look at the International Friendly matches that will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ in preparation of the tournament.
Over the last few months, four international friendlies have been announced to take place at the home of Red Bull New York. The matches feature 6 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup which is taking place on North American soil.
As the sides get ready for the biggest sporting event in the world, New Jersey fans can experience the passion and excitement of international football.
^^Team ranking based on November 2025 FIFA World Rankings
Ecuador vs. Saudi Arabia, Saturday May 30, 2026 7:30 pm
This match features two sides that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Ecuador, which is ranked 23rd in the world, finished second in CONMEBOL during the 2026 World Cup Qualification campaign. In 18 qualification matches they won 8, drew 8, and only lost on 2 occasions. They are currently on a 17-match unbeaten streak, although they have drawn in 11 of the 17 matches.
The team is led by Chelsea central midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is considered one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Although a defensive minded player, Caicedo is able to play as a box-to-box midfielder and contributes on the counterattack. The 24-year-old star has represented his nation on 60 occasions, and has scored 3 goals.
Ecuador will compete in Group E of the World Cup, and will face Germany (ranked #9), Curacao (ranked #82) and Ivory Coast (ranked #42). On paper it would appear that Ecuador would be contesting a second-place finish in this group with African participant Ivory Coast. With the top two from each group advancing to the next round, and the best 8 third place finishers advancing it would be a big disappointment if La Tricolor did not make the knockout stages.
Saudi Arabia, which is ranked 60th in the world, qualified to the 2026 World Cup via the 4th Round of the Asian Football Confederation. Despite a shaky qualification campaign, The Green Falcons qualified for the World Cup for a third straight time.
The team is led by Salem Al-Dawsari, the 34-year-old left winger and Al Hilal veteran, has made 107 international appearances and has scored 26 goals.
Saudi Arabia will compete in Group H of the World Cup, and will face Spain (ranked #1), Cape Verde (ranked #68), and Uruguay (ranked #16). On paper it would be a surprise if Saudi Arabia progressed to the knockout phase of the tournament, however, in the 2022 World Cup they did pull off one of the great upsets in WC history, defeating the eventual Champions Argentina.
For tickets please visit: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006466C9D72B27
Guatemala vs. Czechia, Thursday June 4, 2026 8:00 pm
This match features a side that has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup and another 2026 World Cup participant.
Guatemala, which is ranked 94th in the world, advanced to the final round of 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualification, but were eliminated by Panama and Suriname.
Los Chapines are led by Jose Carlos Pinto. The Comunicaciones center-back has made 81 international appearances, and scored 4 goals.
Guatemala, which has experienced more recent success in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, will look to use this match to provide experience to some of the younger players on the squad, as they face a European opponent who is preparing for the World Cup.
Czechia, which is ranked 43rd in the world, qualified for the 2026 World Cup by defeating Denmark during the UEFA 2nd Round play-offs. Despite a shaky qualification campaign, the national team managed to eliminate Ireland and Denmark on pk’s to advance to the North American World Cup.
The team is led by Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick, one of the top strikers in the Bundesliga. Schick has represented his country on 52 occasions, scoring 25 goals.
Czechia will compete in Group A of the World Cup, and will face host country Mexico (ranked #15), South Africa (ranked #61) and South Korea (ranked #22). On paper it would appear that Czechia would be contesting a second-place finish in this group with Asian participant South Korea. With the top two from each group advancing to the next round, and the best 8 third place finishers advancing it would be a disappointment if the Europeans did not make the knockout stages.
For tickets please visit: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006490BA0ACDFE
Bolivia vs. Scotland, Saturday June 6, 2026 4:00 pm
This match features a side that narrowly missed out on qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and another 2026 World Cup participant.
Bolivia, which is ranked 76th in the world, finished 7th in CONMEBOL during the 2026 World Cup Qualification campaign, advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs. After beating Suriname by 2-1, their dreams of making the 2026 WC ended when they were beaten 2-1 by Iraq.
Los Verde are led by Luis Haquin. The Al-Tai center-back has made 51 international appearances and has scored 1 goal for his country.
Bolivia, which was one win away from world cup qualification, will look to use this match to provide experience for the group as they look to the next World Cup cycle. Facing a European opponent who is preparing for the World Cup should provide a challenge for the South Americans.
Scotland, which is ranked 36th in the world, qualified for the 2026 World Cup by defeating Denmark 4-2 at home in the last match during group play to qualify for their ninth World Cup finals, and their first since 1998.
The Scots are led by Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, one of the top central midfielders in Italy’s Serie A. McTominay has represented his country on 69 occasions, scoring 14 goals.
Scotland will compete in Group C of the World Cup, and will face Brazil (ranked #5), Morocco (ranked #11) and Haiti (ranked #84). On paper it would appear that Scotland would be hoping to finish as one of the 8 best third place teams. They would need to pull off an upset to finish in one of the top two spots in the group. The Tartan Army will hope to get great fan support as they battle two of the better sides in the World Cup.
For tickets please visit: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006466C8F428C3
Morocco vs. Norway, Sunday June 7, 2026 3:00 pm
This match features two star-studded sides which have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco, which is ranked 11th in the world, finished 1st in CAF Group E during the 2026 World Cup Qualification campaign. They were unbeaten in 8 qualification matches in Africa, scoring 22 goals and only conceding 2. They are currently on a 35-match unbeaten streak, with 30 wins and 5 draws.
The team is led by Spanish-born Real Madrid attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz, who is considered one of the top players in the African continent. Diaz, mostly a reserve player for the Spanish giants, is the main attacking weapon for the Atlas Lions. The 26-year-old star has represented Morocco on 24 occasions, and has scored 13 goals.
Morocco will compete in Group C of the World Cup, and will face Brazil (ranked #5), Haiti (ranked #84) and Scotland (ranked #36). On paper it would appear that Morocco will contest a top of the group finish with perennial power Brazil. Anything but a top two spot in the group would be seen as a failure for the African giants.
Norway, which is ranked 29th in the world, qualified for the 2026 World Cup by finishing first in UEFA Group 1. They topped a group which included Italy, and beat the Italians 4-1 on the road in Sn Siro. This will be the 4th time the Scandinavian nation participates in a World Cup.
The team is led by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, one of the top strikers in the world. Haaland has represented his country on 49 occasions, and has scored an astonishing 55 goals.
Norway will compete in Group I of the World Cup, and will face France (ranked #3), Senegal (ranked #19) and Iraq (ranked #58). On paper it would appear that Norway will compete for Senegal for second place in the group, or at the least finish as one of the 8 best third place teams. With a team featuring many players competing with top teams throughout Europe, it is expected that the Norwegians will advance to the knockout stages.
For tickets please visit: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006466CA752DB8
ABOUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED STADIUM
Sports Illustrated Stadium is located in Harrison, NJ, and is the home to the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer (MLS) and Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). It was formerly named Red Bull Arena and opened in 2010. It has a seating capacity of 25,000, being the sixth-largest-soccer-specific stadium in MLS.
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