USA Beats Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, Advances to World Cup Round of 16

USA's Road to the Knockout Stage

The United States won Group D with a 2-0-1 record and 6 points, opening with wins over Paraguay and Australia before a 3-2 loss to Türkiye in the closing seconds of their final group match — a result that had no bearing on the standings, since the U.S. had already clinched top spot. The Stars and Stripes now face their first knockout match of the tournament, and the program's history in this round adds stakes: the U.S. has lost its last four World Cup knockout matches.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: A First-Ever Knockout Appearance

Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the tournament by beating four-time champions Italy in the UEFA play-offs. In Group C, the Dragons drew co-host Canada, lost to Switzerland, and beat Qatar, finishing with 4 points — enough to advance as one of the eight best third-place teams across the tournament. Wednesday marks the first World Cup knockout-round match in Bosnia and Herzegovina's history.

How to Watch

USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina kicks off Wednesday, July 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. World Cup matches air nationally on FOX networks (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) — check local listings and streaming apps for the exact channel. If you're not traveling to the Bay Area, it's a natural night for a watch party with the rest of Kansas City's World Cup crowd.

Final: How It Happened

USA 2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 — full time at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Folarin Balogun put the U.S. ahead in first-half stoppage time (45th minute), his third goal of the tournament. Just after the hour mark, referee Raphael Claus (Brazil) sent Balogun off with a straight red card in the 61st minute for serious foul play — his cleats raked down the leg and onto the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in a challenge for the ball. Down to 10 men for the final half hour, the Americans held their nerve, and Malik Tillman put the result beyond doubt with a curling free kick in the 82nd minute to make it 2-0.

It's just the USMNT's second-ever World Cup knockout-round win and its first since 2002 — and it snapped a 10-game losing streak against European opposition. Balogun is suspended for the next match and cannot appeal.

What's Next: USA vs. Belgium

Team USA moves on to face Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6 — kickoff 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. CT) at Lumen Field in Seattle. Balogun will miss the match on suspension after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.