US to play World Cup qualifier vs Jamaica in Austin, Texas

CHICAGO (AP) — The United States will play a World Cup qualifier in Texas for the first time, hosting Jamaica on Oct. 7 at Q2 Stadium in Austin.

The match will be the fourth of 14 qualifiers for the 20th-ranked Americans, who open the eight-nation final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region on Sept. 2 at El Salvador in a match likely to be played without fans. The U.S. hosts No. 70 Canada on Sept. 5 at Nashville, Tennessee, and is at No. 67 Honduras on Sept. 8.

The match against No. 45 Jamaica will be in a 20,738-capacity stadium that opened last month as the home of Austin's Major League Soccer team, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Thursday. It is the first of three matches in October. The U.S. plays at No. 78 Panama on Oct. 10 and hosts 50th-ranked Costa Rica on Oct. 13.

The USSF said it will conduct a weighted random draw for tickets based on affiliation group.

The U.S. also plays Jamaica on Sunday in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals at Arlington, Texas, but is using a mostly junior varsity roster for the regional championship.

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