Warmup for the World Cup coming to Colorado in 2019

The U.S. women’s national soccer team is headed to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City as part of a 10-match ”Countdown to the Cup” tour in advance of the quadrennial women’s World Cup next summer.

The defending cup champions will play Australia here on April 4. The World Cup will be held in France, June 7-July 7.

Two of the key players for the U.S. team are local products Mallory Pugh, a forward from Highlands Ranch, and Lindsey Horan, a midfielder from Golden. Tickets go on sale next Thursday at 10 a.m. through altitudetickets.com.

The national team has played five times before at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the home stadium for the Colorado Rapids, with four wins and a tie. Two of the 10 games on the tune-up tour will be played in Europe, with the remainder being played in the U.S. in stadiums spanning the country from Los Angeles to New Jersey, beginning in February and culminating in May.

“We are playing tough games in Europe, which is vitally important, and also get to play quality opponents in front of our home fans at venues all across the USA,” national team coach Jill Ellis said in a release. ”It will go fast, but these games will be a major factor in pushing us to be at our peak once we arrive in France next summer.”

Australia made it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2015. The U.S won its third World Cup title that year, defeating Japan, 5-2, in the championship game after beating Germany, 2-0, in the semifinal match.