<p>The October international break commences this midweek as club soccer takes a backseat to games with the national teams. For example, fans can watch qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Yet, while those World Cup qualifiers are not consistent among all teams, each of the FIFA confederations has games available. Here, we picked the 10 most interesting fixtures to keep you company until Oct. 15.</p>



<h2>Top games during October international break</h2>



<h5>USMNT v Panama (Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure will start as the USMNT hosts Panama. This is a rematch of the two’s group-stage meeting from the 2024 Copa America. Panama won after Tim Weah picked up a red card. Both Weah and Folarin Balogun, who scored in that fixture, are off the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/pochettino-names-usmnt-squad-for-panama-mexico-friendlies/">Argentinian coach’s first roster</a> due to injury. This is Panama’s first fixture since its exit from the Copa America at the quarterfinal stage.</p>



<p><em>You can watch USA vs. Panama on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, and Fubo. For new users to Fubo, Fubo is offering a free <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">7-day trial</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Mexico v USMNT (Tuesday, Oct. 15, 10:30 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>Pochettino will also experience the heated derby against Mexico for the first time as the head coach of the Americans. Both sides crashed out of the group stage in CONMEBOL’s tournament this past summer. The game will be at Estadio Akron, one of the venues for the 2026 World Cup.</p>



<p>It’s the first away fixture for USMNT in 2024. The United States is undefeated in this rivalry since 2019. The streak of results includes two Nations League and the 2019 Gold Cup final. It will be the first time Pochettino faces Javier Aguirre’s team since their three La Liga encounters 13 years ago.</p>



<p><em>Watch the game on TNT, Univision, <a href="https://sling-tv.pxf.io/c/330866/1132376/14334?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sling.com%2Fprogramming%2Fsports%2Fsoccer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Sling TV</a>, and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>.</em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241007_WST_533888_USMNT-October-1200x675_fd3aaff7.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-533934" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/USMNT-October-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/USMNT-October-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/USMNT-October-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/USMNT-October-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/USMNT-October.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h5>England v Greece (Thursday, Oct. 10, 2:45 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>Lee Carsley started his spell as England’s interim head coach with a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, the national team he represented in his playing days. Despite the national anthem controversy, he’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/carsley-boosted-as-england-fa-resists-contact-with-top-coaches/">still in the job</a> for the October International Break with the Three Lions set to play games against Greece and Finland.</p>



<p>It was against Greece that David Beckham scored one of the most famous free-kicks in soccer history. In a tense atmosphere at Old Trafford, his 93rd-minute strike sent England to the 2002 World Cup.</p>



<p><em>England vs Greece will be live on FS2, ViX, and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Austria v Norway (Sunday, Oct. 13, 2:45 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>These two teams aren’t among the best soccer nations by any stretch of the imagination. But their contrasting fortunes showed the importance of team planning more than individual brilliance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Under Ralf Rangnick, Austria played a fantastic Euro 2024 before losing to Türkiye in one of the best games of last summer. Norway, who missed out on the tournament, revived with a 2-1 win over Austria in the reverse fixture last month thanks to Erling Haaland’s winner.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Watch Austria vs Norway live on FS2, ViX, and <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Germany v Netherlands (Monday, Oct. 14, 2:45 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>The heated rivals met last month in Amsterdam after both teams scored five goals in their opening Nations League fixtures. Ryan Gravenberch provided a standout performance in an entertaining 2-2 draw.</p>



<p>The reverse fixture will now be played at Allianz Arena, a place Liverpool’s midfield engine recalls from his troubled time at Bayern Munich. Germany will be without Kai Havertz as the Arsenal all-rounder suffered a knee injury.</p>



<p><em>Germany vs Netherlands will be shown live on the <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/soccer/?irad=356358&amp;irmp=330866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fubo Sports Network</a> as well as ViX.</em></p>



<h5>Scotland v Portugal (Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2:45 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>In the wake of their promotion to Nations League A and an impressive Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, Scotland endured a difficult 2024 so far. Including the humbling 5-1 defeat by Germany in the Euro 2024 opener, Scotland lost six of their nine games since the turn of the year.</p>



<p>Portugal also had an uninspiring time in Germany, but Cristiano Ronaldo scoring his 900th career goal raised their spirit last month. The 39-year-old striker is competing with Aleksandar Mitrović and Karim Benzema to finish top of the Saudi Pro League’s scoring chart.</p>



<p><em>Scotland against Portugal will stream live on ViX.</em></p>



<h5>Bolivia v Colombia (Thursday, Oct. 10, 4:30 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>September was a historic month for Bolivia’s soccer. For only the second time in the 21st century, they won away from home courtesy of a 3-2 success in Chile. They’re now a single point behind World Cup kings Brazil nearly midpoint to the qualifiers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Colombia also recorded a memorable victory last month in the repeat fixture of the Copa America final. Beating the world champions was a big achievement, but they’ll now have to cope with the difficulty of playing at an altitude of 4,100 meters above sea level.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Bolivia vs Colombia will be exclusively shown on <a href="https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/c/330866/704911/10706?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffanatiz.com%2Feliminatorias_conmebol_sudamericanas_en_vivo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fanatiz</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Venezuela v Argentina (Thursday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>Meanwhile, Argentina will search for a quick reaction after the defeat at Barranquilla. La Albiceleste also bid farewell to Ángel Di María in September’s eventful international window.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241007_WST_533888_Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria-1200x675_18ef12e9.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-533933" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Lionel-Messi-Di-Maria.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>Lionel Messi, who won his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/video-lionel-messi-lifts-trophy-46-inter-miami-superstar-most-decorated-player-all-time-inter-miami-supporters-shield-mls-2024/blta5661435124b5e01">46th team trophy</a> last week, returns for his first appearance since the tearful Copa America triumph. Fernando Batista’s Venezuela held Brazil and Uruguay to well-deserved draws since the qualifying stage started last year.</p>



<p><em>Venezuela vs Argentina will be exclusively shown on <a href="https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/c/330866/704911/10706?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffanatiz.com%2Feliminatorias_conmebol_sudamericanas_en_vivo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fanatiz</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Chile v Brazil (Thursday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m. ET)</h5>



<p>The ninth matchday of CONMEBOL’s World Cup qualifier will have another cracking game with Chile hosting Brazil. The Selecao lost three of their four away games in the qualifiers, including the defeat at Paraguay a day after <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/brazil-coach-makes-bold-world-cup-2026-prediction/">Dorival Júnior’s bold claim</a>.</p>



<p>Although he’s yet to shine for the national team, Vinicius Junior will miss this month’s games due to a neck injury. After the trip to the side ninth in the standings, Brazil will host bottom-placed Peru next week.</p>



<p><em>Chile vs Brazil will be exclusively shown on <a href="https://fanatiz.jbbfvx.net/c/330866/704911/10706?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffanatiz.com%2Feliminatorias_conmebol_sudamericanas_en_vivo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Fanatiz</a>.</em></p>



<h5>Japan v Australia (Tuesday, October 15, 6:35 a.m. ET)</h5>



<p>The third round of World Cup qualification started last month for Asian Confederation teams. With automatic qualification spots in contention, Japan scored 12 goals and conceded none in the first two games.</p>



<p>On the contrary, Australia failed to find the net against Bahrain and Indonesia. Before the big one in Saitama, the Socceroos will target a heavy scoreline against China, who lost 7-0 to neighbors Japan last month.</p>



<p><em>No details have been released yet on where to watch the game on US TV. It may end up on FIFA+.</em></p>



<p><em>Photos: Imago</em></p>

Top 10 games to watch in October 2024 international break

The October international break commences this midweek as club soccer takes a backseat to games with the national teams.

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<p>On Wednesday, Mauricio Pochettino named his squad for the upcoming USMNT games against Panama and Mexico. The Argentine coach stressed the importance of finding the team’s balance as he opened the door for future call-ups to those who didn’t make his first roster.</p>



<h2>First opportunity to meet with players</h2>



<p>After an <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/stark-differences-between-carsley-and-varas-as-interim-coaches/">underwhelming pair of games</a> under the interim manager Mikey Varas, Pochettino looks to start his tenure on a positive note. However, he already faced the first challenge regarding visa and travel issues.</p>



<p>“Now there will be an opportunity to meet the players individually and collectively. Now we can fly (to Austin) on Saturday, but the paperwork was a nightmare process,” Pochettino claimed.</p>



<p>“I’m excited to see all in place. We already know those we met before like Christian Pulisic, Robinson, Tim Ream and Weston McKennie. But it’s important to know the personality of all players and meet them. The collective is the most important thing,” Pochettino said.</p>



<p>The first training will be conducted on Monday after players start joining the camp a day earlier. So far, Pochettino has only spoken with the left-back Antonee Robinson since signing the contract with US Soccer.</p>



<p>“I only talked with the players by phone. I’m going to be honest that I only met one player and it’s by coincidence. I was at a dinner with Fulham in London and I met Robinson.” Pochettino said. “We had a very good chat. We plan to be more in contact with the team after the Austin camp.”</p>



<p>He also included those who will not feature in the games against Panama and Mexico in the discussion. “We’re also thinking about the possibility for the future. And not only for players in Europe but also in MLS. We’re going to create links and relationships.”</p>



<h2>Coach speaks about defensive solidarity in USMNT squad</h2>



<p>Pochettino addressed the concerns over the goalkeeping position within the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/usmnt-tv-schedule/">USMNT</a> squad. Ethan Horvath and Matt Turner are struggling to start for their clubs, which could mean Colorado Rapids’ Zack Steffen makes his first appearance since March 2022.</p>



<p>“I think it’s a good opportunity to see him and analyze,” Pochettino said about the former Manchester City keeper. “But it’s also the same with all the players in our first roster.”</p>



<p>With Chris Richards recovering from a hamstring injury, Pochettino will be deprived of a key defender in his first two games. Pochettino specifically mentioned watching Mark McKenzie in Toulouse’s recent loss to Lyon.</p>



<p>“We need to improve as a team and set the principles. Maybe certain mistakes happened in the last games, but that happens in football. The most important is how we can reduce them. We need to find the best way together”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>In contrast, the attacking players are scoring for fun for their respective clubs. Although he believes that makes life easier for the national team, the balance of the team is his main concern.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣️ "We are going to plan to play using two systems; 4-2-3-1 &amp; 4-3-3."<br><br>Mauricio Pochettino on how his USMNT team will be set up. Goes on to add the Gen Zeagles "need to enjoy defending" &amp; work relentlessly when not in possession 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/OfGyYFjVLd">pic.twitter.com/OfGyYFjVLd</a></p>— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) <a href="https://twitter.com/MenInBlazers/status/1841511994299474210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Pochettino mentioned he closely followed comments about the national team in the media. He agrees with the expectations of an attacking playstyle, but it should come with a solid defensive shape for the 2026 World Cup.</p>



<p>“We need to be strong and enjoy defending when we don’t have the ball,” Pochettino said.</p>



<h2>Leadership team yet to be decided</h2>



<p>Pochettino remembered the time he played against the USA. Ahead of their preparation for Copa America 1999, Argentina lost by a late goal from Joe-Max Moore.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I was very disappointed after the game. It was a tough match with [the] hot weather.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>With his vast playing experience, which includes the 2002 World Cup, Pochettino knows the importance of leading players in his roster.</p>



<p>“We need to have the facility open for everyone. After we meet, we’ll see the potential leaders. It’s best to leave the space with them and see how they behave,” Pochettino said. “The players have to be excited about the national camps”</p>



<h2>USMNT squad for October friendlies under Pochettino</h2>



<p><strong>GOALKEEPERS</strong>: Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)</p>



<p><strong>DEFENDERS</strong>: Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)</p>



<p><strong>MIDFIELDERS</strong>: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)</p>



<p><strong>FORWARDS</strong>: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Timothy Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)</p>



<h2>Next USMNT games</h2>



<p>Pochettino’s first games in charge of the US Men’s National Team are on Oct. 12 against Panama and on Oct. 15 against Mexico.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO</em></p>

Pochettino names USMNT squad for Panama, Mexico friendlies

Mauricio Pochettino announced his first squad as the head coach of the USMNT on Wednesday with many of the side's familiar names.

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