DKNetwork Logo DKNetwork Logo
Who is the United States playing in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup

Who is the United States playing in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup

Soccer FIFA World Cup USMNT 2026 Rail

Published:

By: Ciaran Doyle

United States Round of 32 Preview

After winning Group D, the United States are set to face off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Let’s learn a little more about the USA’s opponent, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia finished second in Group H of UEFA qualifying behind Austria. They won five of their eight games, drew two and lost one.

Finishing second in the group was good enough to earn them a spot in the UEFA play-offs, where they faced Wales first. The game in Cardiff finished in a 1-1 draw, and ended up in a penalty shootout to go to the play-off final, which they won.

That victory earned them home field advantage in the play-off final to make the World Cup, where they faced European juggernauts Italy. A first half red card for the Italians certainly wasn’t ideal, especially when they had a 1-0 lead at the time. Bosnia took advantage, leveling things up at 1-1. That game also went to a penalty shootout, where the Bosnians once again pulled it off and booked their tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bosnia were drawn into Group B of the World Cup alongside Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. They had a tricky matchup first, facing one of the host nations, Canada. Bosnia took the lead in that one, but in the end it was yet another 1-1 draw. Up next they faced Switzerland, where things looked good for 74 minutes until the Swiss opened the scoring. Just six minutes later, Bosnia received a red card. The floodgates opened from there and they ended up losing 4-1. Finally, they faced Qatar in a must-win match. It was a comfortable 3-1 win in the end, and the result was never in doubt.

Bosnia finished third in the group with four points and advanced as one of the eight best third-placed teams. They are currently ranked 61st in the FIFA World Rankings, compared to the United States who are 15th at the moment.

Bosnia are playing in their second ever World Cup, and this will be the first knockout game in their country’s history. They will surely leave it all out on the field, but I don’t think it will be enough against a United States team who are full of confidence after winning Group D.

Additional World Cup Coverage

Check out the World Cup landing page at DraftKings Network for more World Cup content!

Ciaran Doyle
Ciaran has been an editor for the DraftKings Network team since 2023. He graduated from the University of Arizona before attending Arizona State University for his master’s degree in sports journalism. Ciaran previously covered Phoenix Rising FC for Cronkite News before joining DraftKings. He is passionate about sports betting, and his biggest focus has always been on the NFL and soccer. You can find him on X at @Ciaran_Doyle7.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ciarandoyle77) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.