The United States will face Jamaica at Washington D.C.’s Audi Field on June 5, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Thursday.
The match will serve as the first of two Gold Cup tune-ups, with the U.S. scheduled to face Venezuela in Cincinnati four days later.
The Reggae Boyz reached each of the past two Gold Cup finals. Jamaica fell to Mexico 3-1 in 2015 — after ousting the Americans in the semifinals — and lost to the U.S. 2-1 two years later.
The match will also mark the third time the two teams have squared off in the nation’s capital. They played to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier back in 1997, as well as a 2-0 U.S. victory in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Gold Cup.
“As we prepare for the start of the Gold Cup, this is the perfect opportunity in terms of opponent and venue,” U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said. “Playing against Jamaica, we get exposure to another different style of play and one that we may see later in the tournament.
“For us, there’s always something special about playing in the nation’s capital. There have been so many memorable games for the national team in Washington, D.C., and now we look forward to beginning another chapter in the new stadium.”
The U.S. will begin play in the Gold Cup with a match against Guyana on Tuesday, June 18 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Following that match, the U.S. moves east to face Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, June 22 in Cleveland before closing group play against Panama on Wednesday, June 26 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Jamaica has been drawn into Group C alongside Honduras, El Salvador and Curaçao. The Reggae Boyz will host Honduras in Kingston on June 17, followed by matches against El Salvador in Houston four days later, as well as the group finale against Curaçao on June 25 in Los Angeles.
The final is scheduled for Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 7.