The U.S. Women’s National Team wants to test itself against the best ahead of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying this fall and October’s final tuneups are slated to do just that. No. 1-ranked Spain will face off with the Americans this October in the final matchups for Emma Hayes’ squad before qualifying gets underway. Audi Field and Subaru Park will play host to the two matchups on October 10 and 13 respectively, giving international fans a major treat with two of the world’s best facing off. Although the USWNT won the first three head-to-head meetings, La Roja won the most most-recent showdown 2-0 back in 2022, before later capturing the 2023 FIFA World Cup title for the first time in their history. While the matches themselves might be listed as friendlies, the USWNT know just how competitive this window will be. “I don’t think we ever approach anything as just a friendly,” USWNT midfielder Sam Coffey told reporters during a press conference Monday. “I think we’re a little bit too competitive for that. I’m not sure if these games are a measuring stick for, like, U.S. Soccer versus European football..It’s the best test for us.“I think this year has been full of really difficult competition, games that have tested us in such a different way,” she added. “I think that this will be no different.”The 2-0 loss to Spain back in 2022 marked one of three-straight defeats for the USWNT that year, a rarity in modern-day time for the program. Coffey, now a seasoned-veteran in the squad, admitted it was her third senior cap that night in Pamplona, a result that saw Laia Codina and Esther Gonzalez score both of the goals. Spain has continued to surge up the FIFA Rankings since its victory over the Americans, sitting in the Top-Three spots over the past three years. They currently sit No. 1 in the world for a reason, a spot that the USWNT are aiming to get back to.“I remember the game because we did not win, which, you remember those games, especially when you played with this [U.S.] team,” said Coffey on her past encounter with Spain. “I just recall talent all over the field. Exceptional technical ability, a very deep understanding of one another, and a cohesion that I don’t think a lot of national teams play with. I think the fact that so many of them play for the same club team as well, I think, is such an advantage that they have.”Several of the USWNT’s leading stars such as Lyon’s Lily Yohannes, have been able to play against Spain’s top talents at club level. Yohannes is fresh off of a productive first club season with Lyon after making the move from Ajax last summer. The 19-year-old midfielder helped Lyon win three domestic trophies last campaign and reach a UEFA Women’s Champions League Final before falling to La Liga giants Barcelona 4-0.Yohannes believes that she can now use those club experiences on the international stage against Spain.“Having played against a lot of these players in Europe and (the) Champions League, having had that experience has been really great,” Yohannes said. “We know it’s some of the best players in the world and I’m grateful to have had that experience.”The USWNT’s October window will come four months after they split a two-match slate with 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup hosts Brazil. Brazil and Spain are two top-10 opponents that the Americans will have met this year, joining Canada and Japan on that list. CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying remains a tough challenge on the horizon for the Americans, but preparing themselves against Spain surely will prove crucial in their build-up for 2027. “Of course they’re an incredible team, but so are we,” Coffey said. “When we’re our best, we can play and beat anyone, so I think just us leaning into what our strengths are, and not thinking that we need to do more. We’ll have a game plan and we’ll have our tactics going into the match, but I think us being our best and leaning into what makes us great and what separates us from the rest of the world is ultimately all we need to do.”