U.S. women to face Euro champ England

The U.S. women’s national team is set to face England at Wembley Stadium, the first of two European matches as the United States prepares to defend its title at the 2023 World Cup.

But there’s a catch: The Oct. 7 match is contingent on England securing its spot in the World Cup in qualifying games in September.

England is coming off a 2-1 overtime victory Sunday over Germany in the women’s European Championships final. The match at Wembley drew a tournament-record 87,192 fans.

“To get a chance to play the European champions in London at Wembley is an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often, so we’re all thankful that the match could be arranged, and we’ll be hoping that England finish their qualifying campaign in September,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said in a statement. “This is exactly the kind of match we need at exactly the right time in our World Cup preparations so we can test ourselves against a very talented England team.”

• Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay soccer executives and political leaders launched their joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Uruguay President Luis Lacalle Pou hosted the leaders in Montevideo, seeking to bring another World Cup final to the same Centenário Stadium where it was played in the first edition of the tournament in 1930. Then, Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2.

Alejandro Domínguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL, said in a news conference that the candidacy “is the dream of the continent.”

“One hundred years (since the first World Cup) will be achieved only once. And it has to come back home,” Domínguez said. “We believe that is more than enough of a reason for FIFA to accept that this becomes the only bid.”

Spain and Portugal also have a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup.

FIFA executives expect the 2030 pick will be made within two years. Qatar will host this year’s tournament, and the 2026 edition will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.