USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: World Cup Round of 32 Preview
Short overview
USA face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup Round of 32 on July 1 in San Francisco. Christian Pulisic is expected to start for the co-hosts, while Bosnia make their knockout stage debut. The match kicks off at 17:00 local time at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
The United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Kickoff is set for 17:00 local time (02:00 on July 2 in Sarajevo). The match marks the third and final Round of 32 appearance for the co-hosts, as Mauricio Pochettino's side looks to advance to the Round of 16 after winning Group D.
Team News and Key Players
Christian Pulisic is expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested in the final group match. The United States topped Group D with six points, defeating Paraguay and Australia before a much-changed side lost a dramatic 5-4 thriller to Turkey in the closing seconds. Key players include forward Folarin Balogun, midfielder Weston McKennie, and captain Tyler Adams.
Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in their history, having previously exited in the group stage on their World Cup debut in 2014. They finished third in Group C with four points, drawing with co-hosts Canada, losing to Switzerland, and beating Qatar. Veteran striker Edin Džeko leads the attack, supported by Ermedin Demirović. The Dragons famously qualified for the finals by defeating four-time world champions Italy in the UEFA play-offs.
Match Preview and History
The United States have reached the World Cup knockout stage seven times before, while this is Bosnia and Herzegovina's maiden appearance at this stage. The match will be played at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, which has hosted five group matches during the tournament and will now stage its final fixture of World Cup 2026.
The stadium, home to the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, opened in July 2014 and has established itself as a premier sports and entertainment venue. It hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and Super Bowl LX a decade later, as well as concerts by global music stars such as Ed Sheeran, Metallica, and Taylor Swift.
How to Watch and Follow
For where-to-watch information specific to your location, visit the FIFA World Cup scores and fixtures page, which contains all available broadcaster details. Fans can also follow all the action via the FIFA Match Centre, which provides team news, live blogs, and in-depth statistics on every fixture. For tickets and hospitality packages, visit the dedicated tickets and hospitality page.
Projected lineups:
USA: Freese; Dest, Richards, McKenzie, Robinson; Adams, McKennie; Tillman; Pulisic, Balogun, Weah
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Hadzikadunic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Tahirovic, Sunjic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko
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