liveUpdated 2m agoFollow live as the USMNT prepares for the 2026 World Cup with a friendly against SenegalMichael Dominski and Ed MackeyMay 31, 2026 at 12:30 PM EDTThe USMNT plays Senegal today ahead of a home World Cup GettyUSMNT vs. Senegal — LatestThe United States men’s national team plays a 2026 World Cup tune-up friendly against African heavyweight Senegal today.This will be our first look at the USMNT’s World Cup side on the pitch since Mauricio Pochettino announced his 26-man squad last week. Follow along for live play-by-play updates, analysis and reaction from The Athletic’s U.S. soccer staff.Kick-off: 3:30 p.m. ETTV: TNT, truTV, HBO MaxShare your thoughts: live@theathletic.comOur venue today Getty Images Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and MLS’s Charlotte FC. It seats 75,037.Unlike several other NFL stadiums across the U.S., this venue will not host any 2026 World Cup matches this summer — it did host a few for the 2025 Club World Cup last year, though.Subscribe to The Athletic! The AthleticIt’s a busy time in the sports world and the calendar is only getting busier as we head into the summer.The biggest event in world sport beckons with the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer.The NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals are also right around the corner, and the MLB and WNBA seasons continue as well.We also have golf and tennis majors on tap with the French Open currently underway and the U.S. Open in golf coming up in a few short weeks.So what are you waiting for? Sign up to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.Join the conversation! Getty Images How should Mauricio Pochettino best align his starting XI today? How much of a challenge will AFCON finalist Senegal provide today?We want to hear your thoughts on the above questions and anything else relating to the match or the USMNT’s World Cup hopes!Get involved in our coverage by emailing us at live@theathletic.com and we’ll publish our favorite submissions right here. You can also head over to our Discuss tab at the top of this page to react to this match in real time today.How to watch today's match Getty Images Today’s friendly between the USMNT and Senegal can be seen in the U.S. on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.What time does today's match start? Getty Images Today’s match between the USMNT and Senegal kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET, local time in Charlotte. That’s 12:30 p.m. PT on the West Coast.Welcome to our live coverage! Getty Images Hello! And welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of the United States men’s national team as it plays its first of two tune-up matches before hosting the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup.Mauricio Pochettino’s side looks to gain momentum heading into the tournament after rough performances against European stalwarts Belgium and Portugal in the last international window in March.The U.S. goes up against a strong Senegal team who has designs of its own on a long run into the World Cup knockout rounds.Follow live for build-up and real-time analysis from The Athletic’s soccer writers!