The U.S. men’s national team is moving on to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but who will it face in the round of 32? Well, that’s far from certain following the USA’s 2-0 victory over Australia on Friday.
Where the USA finishes in Group D will play a large role in determining who it’ll go up against in the first match of the knockout stage. If the USA wins Group D, it’ll face the third-place team from either Group B, E, F, I or J. If the USA finishes second in Group D, it’ll face the team that finishes in second place in Group G.
Here’s more on each possible scenario for the Stars and Stripes after they clinched their spot in the knockout stage.
United States vs Australia Extended Highlights | 2026 FIFA World Cup™
If USA Wins Group D
In the scenario that the USA secures first place in its group, it’ll play its round of 32 match on July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. As of Friday, there are still 20 teams the USA could potentially face in this scenario. Here are those 20 teams:
- Canada (Group B)
- Switzerland (Group B)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B)
- Qatar (Group B)
- Germany (Group E)
- Ivory Coast (Group E)
- Ecuador (Group E)
- Curaçao (Group E)
- Sweden (Group F)
- Japan (Group F)
- Netherlands (Group F)
- Tunisia (Group F)
- Norway (Group I)
- France (Group I)
- Senegal (Group I)
- Iraq (Group I)
- Argentina (Group J)
- Austria (Group J)
- Jordan (Group J)
- Algeria (Group J)
Here is the USA’s path to the final if it ends up winning Group D:
- Round of 32 match: July 1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California
- Round of 16 match: July 6 at Seattle Stadium
- Quarterfinals match: July 10 at Los Angeles Stadium
- Semifinals match: July 15 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas
- Final: July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
If USA Finishes Second In Group D
If the USA finishes second in Group D, it’ll take on the second-place finisher in Group G at Dallas Stadium on July 3. After one match, all four teams in Group G have one point. Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand would be the USA’s potential opponents in this scenario.
Here is the USA’s path to the final if it finishes second in Group D:
- Round of 32 match: July 3 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas
- Round of 16 match: July 7 at Atlanta Stadium
- Quarterfinals match: July 11 at Kansas City Stadium
- Semifinals match: July 15 at Atlanta Stadium
- Final: July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
