The U.S. Soccer Federation made some money Wednesday night, and that’s important for an organization facing an eight-figure deficit. More than 55,000 people showed up at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., for a meaningless, midweek friendly scheduled outside a FIFA international window.
That’s the power of USA-Mexico. Anything resembling the senior men’s teams of those longtime rivals and frequent business partners—and potential 2027 Women’s World Cup cohosts, as they announced Wednesday—will draw a crowd and boost the bottom line. That’s been obvious for years.
What isn’t immediately apparent is whether anything was accomplished on the pitch during an uneventful 1–1 draw that didn’t really pick up any speed until midway through the second half. El Tri has a new manager, Diego Cocca, and the Americans are playing under an interim one, Anthony Hudson. All but two of the men called up for the Continental Clásico—that was the brand attached to Wednesday’s exhibition—played for clubs in MLS or Liga MX. They flew in following their respective league games last weekend, had a couple of light walk-throughs and then took the field.
