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U.S. Wins Group D, Eyes Bosnia in Round of 32

6/25/2026

Summary

USA Secures Spot

United States clinched Group D place with a 4-1 win over Paraguay and a 2-0 win over Australia, securing a Round of 32 berth.
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s 3-1 win over Qatar on June 24 in Seattle secured third place, making them the likely U.S. opponent.
The United States will face the Group B team at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, on July 1 at 8 p.m. ET, with a 60 % chance the opponent is Bosnia & Herzegovina, 17 % Qatar and 9 % Senegal.

Summary

Third-Place Advance

The expanded 48-team format allows the eight highest-ranked third-place finishers to advance to the Round of 32.
Teams are ranked by points, then goal-difference, goals scored, conduct score, then FIFA ranking.
As of Wednesday, June 24, 9 a.m. ET, Sweden, Scotland and Croatia lead the third-place table with three points each.
Because the bracket depends on qualifying third-place teams, a side can clinch a knockout berth before its opponent is known.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 France hosted the World Cup, the first edition to feature 32 national teams and 64 matches, with 704 players selected. The success prompted FIFA officials—Sepp Blatter in 2013 and later Gianni Infantino in 2016—to back further enlargement, leading to the 48-team format approved in January 2017 and refined in March 2023 for the 2026 tournament.

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USA Secures Spot

United States clinched Group D place with a 4-1 win over Paraguay and a 2-0 win over Australia, securing a Round of 32 berth.
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s 3-1 win over Qatar on June 24 in Seattle secured third place, making them the likely U.S. opponent.
The United States will face the Group B team at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, on July 1 at 8 p.m. ET, with a 60 % chance the opponent is Bosnia & Herzegovina, 17 % Qatar and 9 % Senegal.

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