Chicago (AFP) – The United States will play host to New Zealand in an October football friendly in Washington as a warm-up for the start of final-round qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

The Americans will meet the All Whites on October 11 at RFK Stadium in their first friendly since 2003, with the US beating the Kiwis 2-1 in both prior meetings.

If US coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad gets through the semi-final round of North American qualifying for the 2018 Russia World Cup, they would begin a six-team round robin qualifying tournament known as the hexagonal starting November 11 with the New Zealand match as the last tuneup.

The Americans are 15-3 with five drawn at RFK, the venue where they have made their most-ever appearances.

Remaining US matches in the North American smei-final round qualifying will be played September 1 at St. Vincent and the Grenadines and September 6 against Trinidad and Tobago at Jacksonville, Florida.