USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | FIFA World Cup 2026 — Round of 32 | Preview and Prediction

With Canada and Mexico having already sealed their spots in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, fellow hosts USA will be looking to complete the trifecta as they take on a defensively resilient Bosnia-Herzegovina side, who will look to continue their fairy-tale run in this competition.

For the game, here we present our preview and prediction.

FIFA WC26 | Ro32: USA vs BIH | 05:30 IST, 2 July 2026

The US have been one of the surprises of this tournament and, on the face of it, are probably the best of the three co-hosts. Yes, they did suffer a loss against Türkiye in their final group-stage game, but they fielded a heavily rotated side, having already won the group with resounding victories in their opening two games.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT look like a side ready to outrun any opposition to the ground. They follow a high-intensity and high-octane pressing approach, which does not allow their opponents to settle, as was evident in their first game against Paraguay. They have a lot of players who are hitting their stride at the right time: Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie, and Christian Pulisic have all been key contributors and have collectively led the charge for their side.

However, the US do not have a good record when it comes to men’s World Cup knockouts. They have failed to win a knockout match since 2002, when they beat Mexico 2–0 in the round of 16. They also have a pretty poor record against European nations, having lost their last 12 games against them.

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, any win they manage from here on will come as a bonus. This is their first appearance in the World Cup knockouts as an independent nation, and they will look to make the most of what has already been a journey for generations.

Once again, the Zmajevi will look to make the most of their set-piece advantage, having already scored three goals so far — the most in a single campaign in tournament history since England’s four goals eight years ago at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Defender Tarek Muharemovic returns from suspension, giving them a huge lift at the heart of their backline. However, they will be hoping that Amar Dedi? recovers in time for the game from what is perceived to be a thigh injury. The US, meanwhile, will be elated given Pulisic has been given the all-clear from the calf injury that has limited his minutes at the World Cup thus far.

Despite the tricky nature of their opponents here, we believe that the USA have enough skill, quality, and class in their ranks to win this game and qualify for the round of 16, where they will face either Belgium or Senegal.

Score Prediction: USA 3–0 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara, California, USA