QUITO, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador will face Guatemala and Italy in the United States next month in preparation for the Copa America, Ecuador's football federation said on Friday.
The friendly fixtures will take place at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on March 21 and 24.
They will provide Ecuador manager Felix Sanchez with one of his last chances to test his players ahead of the 48th edition of the world's oldest continental football tournament, to be played in the United States from June 20 to July 14.
Ecuador have been drawn in Group B alongside Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica.
Sanchez's men are currently fifth in the South American zone qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The top six teams will earn an automatic berth in the tournament, to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The seventh-placed team will advance to an intercontinental playoff. ■
