Time, channel and what you need to know

And away we go.

The United States women’s national team opens its bid for a historic World Cup three-peat on Friday.

They’ll face Vietnam, which ranks No. 32 in the world by FIFA, in its first group-stage match.

The U.S. continues play in Group E with matches against the Netherlands and Poland.

The USWNT was the pre-tournament betting favorite with a roster that ranges from veterans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe to exciting young talents such as Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman.

Here is a guide to how to watch the U.S. in its World Cup opener:

United States vs. Vietnam

When: Friday, 9 p.m.

TV: Fox, Telemundo

Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports app, Peacock (in Spanish)

Where: Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand


Trinity Rodman of the United States practices during a USWNT training session
Trinity Rodman of the United States practices during a USWNT training session
Getty Images

What to know about Vietnam

It’s easy to flashback here to the United States World Cup opener in 2019, when they ran roughshod over Thailand, 13-0, and received rebukes for poor sportsmanship.

Expect another comfortable win over a Southeast Asia opponent — but don’t expect double digits.

Vietnam, which plays a counter-attacking style, is making its Women’s World Cup debut.

“We will respect all the competitors, but we are not scared,” Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung told FIFA.com.


Mai Duc Chung
Mai Duc Chung
FIFA via Getty Images

What’s the U.S. is saying

“Vietnam is a team we expect to sit in a low block, and those teams are hard to break down. So we’ve been working a lot on that,” forward Sophia Smith said. “But I think at the end of the day, the biggest focus is on ourselves and the game that we want to play and the style that we want to play and the style that we know how to play, regardless of who we’re playing.”