Bosnia-Herzegovina faces United States in World Cup 2026 round of 32

Bosnia and Herzegovina will meet the United States in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The knockout match is scheduled for 1 July 2026 (local time) at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area, with kickoff at 02:00 CET (18:00 local US time). The United States qualified as group‑stage winners, while Bosnia earned a place as one of the best third‑placed teams, marking its first ever appearance in a World Cup knockout round.

Bosnia’s coach Sergej Barbarez has urged his players to become new national heroes, stressing emotion and solidarity: “We must go into the game full of energy and emotions to inspire our fans.” Former star Zlatan Ibrahimović publicly supported the Bosnian side, saying the match gives him “goose‑bumps”. The U.S. camp, led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, stresses the need to defeat a European opponent, with players such as Sergiño Dest and Folarin Balogun warning that “we must win to keep our tournament hopes alive”.

The encounter is expected to attract huge viewership both in the Balkans and the United States, and Bosnia’s success is already boosting interest in tourism to the country. The match will determine which team advances to the round of 16, where the winner will face the victor of the Belgium‑Senegal tie.