Korean women's football team to face United States in June

The teams will first meet in Commerce City, Colorado for a match on June 1 before heading east to play their second game in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4.

United States midfielder Lindsey Horan heads the ball as Korea midfielder Lee Geum-min defends during an international friendly at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas in October 2021. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The Korean women’s national football team will play two friendlies against the United States in June, the U.S. Women’s National Team announced in a press release Tuesday night U.S. time.

The teams will first meet in Commerce City, Colorado for a match on June 1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, home of Major League Soccer (MLS) side Colorado Rapids, before heading east to play their second game at Allianz Field, home of MLS side Minnesota United FC, on June 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Korea last played the United States in 2021, also at Allianz Field, where they lost 6-0.

For the United States, the two-game series will act as a tune-up to the Paris Olympics, which kick off in July. Korea, however, will not field a women’s team at this year’s Games for the eighth consecutive time. The Taeguk Ladies crashed out of the 2024 Olympic qualifiers in November after drawing 1-1 with China during the second round.

This year instead could be an opportunity for the Korean women’s team and manager Colin Bell to tighten things up before the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Korea last played two international friendlies in February, winning 2-1 against the Czech Republic before losing 5-1 to Portugal.

Two members of the Korean national team will already be in the United States during the friendlies in June, which lands in the middle of the National Women's Soccer League season.

Korean national team midfielder Ji So-yun plays for NWSL side Seattle Reign FC and Korea forward Casey Phair is set to make her professional debut with Los Angeles-based Angel City FC this year.

Ji and Phair were responsible for a goal each during the match against the Czech Republic last month.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]