The United States men’s national soccer team is heading to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after one of its strongest group-stage performances in tournament history.
Team USA finished atop Group D with two wins and one loss, securing its place in the Round of 32. The Americans scored more goals than in any previous World Cup group stage and won their opening two matches for the first time since 1930.
Next up is a win-or-go-home matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When Does the USMNT Play Bosnia and Herzegovina? Plus How to Watch
The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1.
The match will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16.
Although the United States finished first in Group D, its path through the knockout bracket remains difficult.
Several tournament favorites landed in the same side of the bracket, meaning the Americans could face some of the world’s highest-ranked teams if they continue advancing.
According to current betting odds, the United States enters the knockout stage at +3500 to win the World Cup, the ninth-best odds remaining in the tournament.
The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET in the United States, 1 a.m. BST on Thursday, July 2, in the United Kingdom, 5:30 a.m. IST on Thursday, July 2, in India, and 10 a.m. AEST on Thursday, July 2, in Australia.
Fans can watch the match on BBC One in the UK, Fox Sports in the U.S., Zee5 in India, and SBS in Australia.
Landon Donovan Believes the USMNT Can Make a Deep Run in the World Cup
Former U.S. captain Landon Donovan believes the Americans have the talent to compete for a World Cup title, but he acknowledged the challenge becomes much greater once the knockout rounds begin.
Speaking with CNN Sports before the tournament, Donovan was asked whether the United States could win the World Cup.
“Can they? Yes,” he said. “We have a good enough team to make a deep run in the tournament, for sure.”
He explained that every round presents a tougher opponent.
“The difficult part is if you get out of your group, now you’re playing a pretty good team. If you win that game, in the round of 32, you’re playing a good team. You win that game and you’re in the quarters. You’re playing one of the big eight teams in the world.”
Despite that challenge, Donovan believes the opportunity is there.
“So, can they beat all of those teams? Yes, they absolutely can. Can they do it one after another after another after another, emotionally get up for it? I think they can.”
He added, “We haven’t seen that, but is it possible? Absolutely, it’s possible.”
Donovan knows what it takes to make a deep World Cup run.
He helped lead the United States to the quarterfinals during the 2002 tournament, the country’s best finish in the modern era.
Christian Pulisic and the Home Crowd Could Be the Difference
Donovan also pointed to captain Christian Pulisic as the player capable of changing a match in an instant.
“He’s the one guy who can make a play basically out of nowhere,” Donovan said. “Players like that in world soccer are not a dime a dozen, right? They’re hard to find, so he can do that.”
He added that Pulisic’s presence creates opportunities for everyone else on the field.
“But also, if he’s playing well, people have to pay attention to him, which makes other people free to play well or to have opportunities to score and create chances.”
Pulisic enters the knockout stage healthy after recovering from a calf injury earlier in the tournament.
Donovan also believes home-field support could give the Americans an additional advantage.
“We saw in 2002 with South Korea, we played Korea, the home country. They ended up getting to the semifinals. They weren’t expected to get to the semis, so if our crowd is behind us, I think everything’s possible,” he said.
When Does the USMNT Play Next in the 2026 World Cup? Team USA Faces Tough Knockout Draw