The United States Men's National Team is now highly likely to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 of the World Cup, according to The Athletic. This probability increased significantly after Bosnia and Herzegovina secured a 3-1 victory over Qatar on Wednesday, clinching third place in Group B.
The U.S. men's national team, having already won Group D, was slated to play the third-place finisher from another group. Bosnia and Herzegovina's win over Qatar means they are now the projected opponent for the Stars and Stripes in the knockout stage.
This matchup presents a favorable scenario for the U.S., as Bosnia and Herzegovina is ranked 62nd by FIFA, while the United States holds the 14th position. Two other teams, Senegal and Austria, had less than a 1% chance of facing the U.S. in the next round.
Before advancing to the Round of 32, the U.S. still has a group stage match against Türkiye. However, with the U.S. having already secured the group win and Türkiye eliminated, this game is considered largely without consequence for the standings.
If the U.S. progresses to the Round of 16, they would likely face the winner of Group G or another third-place team. Among potential opponents in that round, only Belgium, ranked 10th, is positioned higher than the United States.
The U.S. has shown strong offensive form in the tournament, scoring six goals across their two matches, matching their highest group stage total even with one game remaining. They began their World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, followed by a 2-0 win against Australia to secure their spot in the Round of 32. The team clinched the group win when Paraguay defeated Türkiye later that evening.
These victories mark the first time the U.S. men's national team has won consecutive World Cup games since the tournament's inception in 1930. The final group stage match against Türkiye is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET on Thursday. The likely Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina is slated for next Wednesday in the Bay Area.