Tournament co-hosts the United States begin their knockout campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, 1 July (Thursday, 2 July at 00:00 GMT) at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium) in Santa Clara, California.
The Americans enter the contest as favourites after finishing top of Group D with six points. Mauricio Pochettino’s side opened their campaign with convincing victories over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0) before suffering a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Türkiye in their final group match.
With qualification and first place already secured before that fixture, Pochettino made nine changes to his starting line-up, ensuring many of his key players remain fresh for the knockout stages.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s route to the last 32 was far more challenging. The Dragons progressed as one of the best third-placed teams from Group B after collecting four points, sealing qualification with a 3-1 victory over Qatar following an earlier heavy defeat to Switzerland.
The European side will be making their first appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds and will be hoping to extend their historic run.
Key battles
The tactical contest could prove decisive.
Bosnia are expected to adopt a compact defensive approach, sitting deep and looking to exploit counter-attacking opportunities whenever possession is regained.
The United States, meanwhile, are likely to rely on an aggressive high press, seeking to force turnovers high up the pitch and dominate possession from the outset.
One of Bosnia’s biggest threats remains veteran striker Edin Džeko. Despite his experience, he continues to pose a danger inside the penalty area, meaning American centre-backs Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie will need to remain disciplined throughout the contest.
Going forward, the United States are expected to be boosted by the return of Christian Pulisic, who is set to lead the attack alongside Folarin Balogun and Timothy Weah. Their pace and movement could prove crucial against a Bosnian defence marshalled by experienced defender Sead Kolašinac.
Form guide
The United States scored eight goals during the group stage while conceding four, underlining their attacking strength despite the late defeat to Türkiye.
Bosnia finished with five goals scored and six conceded, demonstrating resilience but also exposing defensive vulnerabilities that the hosts will look to exploit.
Win probabilities
According to pre-match statistical models:
- United States win: 71.5%
- Draw (after 90 minutes): 18.3%
- Bosnia and Herzegovina win: 10.2%
Group-stage comparison
| Team | Record | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Group Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 wins, 0 draws, 1 defeat | 8 | 4 | +4 | 1st (Group D) |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 win, 1 draw, 1 defeat | 5 | 6 | -1 | 3rd (Group B) |
With home support behind them and several first-choice players returning, the United States will expect to progress. Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, have already defied expectations to reach the knockout rounds and will hope another disciplined performance can produce one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
