The United States Men's National Team is through to the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup - and their next match is already set.
As winners of Group D, the USMNT will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET and the match will air on FOX.
The Americans earned their spot the hard way - and then the easy way. The USMNT opened with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay and a 2-0 win over Australia, marking the team's best-ever group stage finish with 6 points.
In their final group match, Pochettino rested most of his starters to protect players carrying yellow cards.
The USMNT fell 3-2 to Turkey on the final touch of the game - substitute Kaan Ayhan scoring in the eighth minute of stoppage time - but the result carried no consequence for their advancement.
The moment that had the crowd buzzing, though, came midway through that Turkey match.
When Christian Pulisic entered the game in the 58th minute returning from a calf injury, the pro-U.S. crowd at SoFi Stadium roared and gave him a standing ovation. He did not score, but looked sharp in his return.
Now the full squad - Pulisic included - turns its attention to Bosnia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have reached the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time in their history, finishing third in Group B on four points after a draw with Canada and a 3-1 win over Qatar. Their biggest name is 40-year-old striker Edin Džeko, the country's all-time leader with 150 caps and 73 goals, with clubs including Manchester City, Roma, and Inter Milan on his résumé.
But it is 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegović - bound for Bayer Leverkusen - who has drawn the most attention after scoring in the group stage.
This USMNT squad, the stakes feel personal. These are players who have openly credited God at every step - from Pulisic's "Bible Time" locker room studies, to Mark McKenzie leading the team in prayer at midfield after every win. The knockout round is where it all gets tested.
On paper, Bosnia and Herzegovina shouldn't be much of a threat to the United States. But in a World Cup, paper means very little. July 1 will tell the story.
The USMNT faces Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Anyone with a prayer for the team - McKenzie would probably appreciate it.
