The United States bid for a first World Cup knockout win in 24 years as they take on Bosnia & Herzegovina in the round of 32.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side impressed in their first two outings at this tournament and topped their group despite defeat to Turkey in their last fixture. It leaves confidence high that the co-hosts can make a deeper run at this tournament having fallen short in their last three knockout games since their sole success against Mexico in 2002. Star forward Christian Pulisic is set to bolster the ranks after declaring himself fit to start on match eve, with the US starting to catch World Cup fever.
A 3-1 win over Qatar secured Bosnia’s place in the last 32 as a third placed qualifier, and they have the quality and experience to trouble their opposition here. Veteran striker Eden Dzeko is still leading the line a few months after his 40th birthday – and he and his teammates may just fancy their chances in Santa Clara…
Follow all of the latest from the World Cup clash with our live blog below:
Fifa quietly scrubbed logos off World Cup stadiums – so one brand turned the cover-up into a marketing campaign
The marketing team at Levi’s have had a good tournament. Lawrence Ostlere explains how the brand seized their opportunity after their logo was scrubbed off the side of the stadium:
Fifa scrubbed logos off World Cup stadiums – so one brand has got creative
Organisers have gone to extraordinary lengths to erase unofficial names and logos from NFL stadiums hosting tournament matches, as brands take creative approaches to gaining from the World Cup showHarry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 23:10
About today’s venue
This is the final match of the tournament at the ground normally known as Levi’s Stadium, with the 71,000 capacity arena soon to be back in the possession of the San Francisco 49ers. It’s a lovely spot.
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 23:00
USA ready for penalties…if required
The United States have been practicing their penalties in training this week, just in case they are required later.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work on penalties. I won’t go into that,” defender Tim Ream said with a chuckle earlier in the week.
“That’s something that we’ve been working on throughout the week together, even before the tournament started, so that’s taken care of really. We know that, especially in the knockouts, one mistake on a set play can send you home. So we’re fully focused on all aspects and all phases of the game.”
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 22:45
Bosnia shrug off slights from co-hosts
Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez has shrugged off American slights against his team, saying they need no extra motivation for their World Cup round-of-32 clash against the United States.
Former USA goalkeeper Tim Howard said on a podcast that the Bosnians were in for a brutal reality check at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Wednesday, while a network reporter mocked the nation on live TV before later apologising.
Barbarez said the hot takes were inevitable in the social media age and had no effect on the team.
“I have to admit things`like that happen on a daily basis,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “We are a small country and sometimes things like that happen, but I have no problem with it. My boys don’t have a problem with it … You’re playing for a place in the round of 16. If that’s not motivation enough, then I don’t really notice things like that.”
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 22:30
Mauricio Pochettino: Bosnia knockout match is ‘final of the World Cup’ for USA team
United States coach Mauricio Pochettino has cautioned against labelling his side as favourites for their upcoming World Cup round-of-32 clash against Bosnia, citing a string of recent upsets that have rocked the tournament.
Mauricio Pochettino: Bosnia knockout match is ‘final of the World Cup’ for USA team
United States coach Pochettino shook off favourites tag for his team after recent World Cup shocksHarry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 22:20
Could The USA Really WIN The World Cup?
Adam Clery, meanwhile, is having fun at The Independent’s New York base – in his latest ACFC video, he asks the question if the US could really win the World Cup.
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 22:00
Copa Independent
Have you been listening to Copa Independent, our World Cup podcast? Well, if not, there’s no time like the knockout stages to get your audio fix as our writers in the United States give you all of latest insight from the tournament. You can find the latest episode wherever you get your podcasts – or here.
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 21:45
HAVE YOUR SAY: Who will win the World Cup?
Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 21:30
World Cup 2026 fixtures, latest results and full tournament bracket
Here’s a reminder of all of the results so far in the knockout round, and the full tournament bracket.
World Cup 2026 knockout fixtures, results and full tournament bracket
The knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup are in full swing in North AmericaHarry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 21:15
Belgium vs Senegal kicks off
The winner of this tie will take on either Belgium or Senegal in the next round – and the action in Seattle is about to get underway:
Belgium vs Senegal LIVE: Team news and latest updates from World Cup clash
The United States or Bosnia-Herzegovina await the winners of an intriguing encounter in Seattle Harry Latham-Coyle1 July 2026 21:00NewerOlder