USWNT's 2027 Women's World Cup Qualifying Rivals Revealed — Here's Who They'll Face!

The U.S. women's national team now knows its path through the upcoming Concacaf 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying campaign.

On Tuesday, April 21, Concacaf revealed that the USWNT will face El Salvador for a place in next summer's tournament in Brazil. That World Cup qualifying match is scheduled for Nov. 27.

The stakes are rising for head coach Emma Hayes heading into 2026, with competition for places on the roster fiercer than ever. These 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying dates give the squad a clear objective to work toward.

How do Concacaf W World Cup qualifiers work?

World Cup qualifying in the Concacaf region is set to run 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 competition is called the 2026 Concacaf W Championship and will include eight nations. In the opening round — the quarterfinals — all eight teams will be seeded 1–8 according to 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 path to qualification is straightforward — win and you're in. Claim victory in your quarterfinal, and your place in Brazil is secured. All four quarterfinal winners will earn automatic berths at the 2027 Women's World Cup and will also advance to the semifinals of the 2026 Concacaf W Championship.

For the USWNT, the mission is simple: defeat El Salvador. That's all there is to it.

Beyond the four automatic World Cup spots, three berths for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are also on the line. Those will be awarded to the two nations that reach the final of the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, along with the winner of the third-place playoff.

If the United States — who have already secured their place as Olympic hosts — finish among the top three teams at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, one of the three Olympic spots will instead be handed to the fourth-place finisher.

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

Two playoff places also available

There is another factor worth noting. The journey to Brazil isn't entirely closed off for the four quarterfinal losers, as those nations will enter the play-in round, competing for the two playoff spots at FIFA's intercontinental 2027 World Cup Play-Off Tournament, scheduled for February 2027.

In 2023, Panama and Haiti succeeded at the World Cup Play-Off Tournament and secured their spots at the tournament in Australia & New Zealand through the play-in round.

What is the USWNT's record against El Salvador?

Remarkably, historical records show that in the USWNT's 41-year existence, the team has never previously faced El Salvador. This 2027 World Cup qualifier will mark a fascinating opening chapter between these two Concacaf nations.

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Theo Lloyd-Hughes is a writer for Sports Illustrated Soccer based in the Southern United States. Originally from England, he can often be found in a press box across the NWSL or at international matches featuring the USWNT and other Concacaf nations.