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The United States begins its knockout stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, and the team hopes this is only the beginning of a deep World Cup run.
As the host country, the United States has the advantage of playing games on its own soil throughout the tournament, which means there are high expectations for the United States Men's National Team. A win in the round of 32 would be a nice start to what could be a special moment in American soccer history.
Team USA is heavily favored vs. Bosnia on Wednesday night in the first edition of the World Cup's round of 32. If the team can pull off the win, then it can focus on a tougher opponent in the round of 16, a team that the USMNT will know already.
Here's a breakdown of the United States' full bracket in the World Cup.
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Who will USA play next?
If the United States defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, the USMNT will then play the winner of Belgium vs. Senegal in the Round of 16.
Belgium and Senegal are set to play their match at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, giving the winner a chance to scout their opponent immediately after. Belgium has been shaky thus far but was able to win Group G with a dominant victory, while Senegal was the third-place finisher in a tough Group I.
Either way, the USMNT should feel good about its next opponent if the team can secure a victory in the round of 32. While Belgium would be the tougher opponent, the USMNT has looked better in this tournament so far.
How does the World Cup bracket work?
The World Cup bracket is a single-elimination tournament, so the winner of each match moves on, and the loser of each match goes home. The group stage was used to determine seeding and which 32 teams earned the right to play in the knockout stage.
Simply put, the United States must win every game moving forward or else the team will be eliminated from contention. There are no ties in the knockout stage, with extra time and penalty kicks now available to determine a winner if the score is tied through regulation.
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USA World Cup schedule 2026 and route to final
Group Stage
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| June 12 | Group Stage, Match 1 | USA 4, Paraguay 1 |
| June 19 | Group Stage, Match 2 | USA 2, Australia 0 |
| June 25 | Group Stage, Match 3 | Turkey 2, USA 1 |
Round of 32
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 1 | 82 | USA vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Round of 16
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 6 | 94 | USA/Bosnia va. Belgium/Senegal |
Quarterfinals
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 10 | 98 | USA/Bosnia/Belgium/Senegal vs. Spain/Austria/Portugal/Croatia |
Semifinals
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 14 | 101 | Match No. 97 winner vs. Match No. 98 winner |
Third-place playoff
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 18 | 103 | Match No. 101 loser vs. Match No. 102 loser |
Finals
| Date | Match No. | Matchup |
| July 19 | 104 | Match No. 101 winner vs. Match No. 102 winner |
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