The United States Men’s National Team has secured a place in the Round of 32 with a strong performance in the World Cup, winning 2-0 against Australia. This victory marks an important achievement for the team, which now tops Group D.

The team’s success wasn’t limited to their own match. A later result saw Paraguay defeat Turkey 1-0. This outcome confirmed the U.S. as the group winners, with six points. Turkey, with zero points, cannot surpass the United States, who have also overcome both Paraguay and Australia in head-to-head matchups.

Players of the United States celebrate their first goal, an own goal by Cameron Burgess of Australia, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 2026. (Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

With group play complete, the U.S. will next face a third-place group finisher to start the knockout stage. This match is set for July 1 in San Francisco at 8 p.m. EDT. The opponent could come from Groups B, E, F, I, or J. Currently, no teams from these groups have secured a knockout stage position.

The United States is likely to be the favored team in the upcoming match. The Athletic suggests there is a 58% chance their opponent will be Bosnia and Herzegovina, ranked 64th worldwide. There’s also an 18% chance they could face Qatar, ranked 58th, or Ecuador, ranked 28th, at 5% probability.

Alex Freeman of the United States celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between the U.S. and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

If the U.S. advances, they’ll likely be favorites again, potentially facing the winner of Group G—which could be New Zealand, Iran, Belgium, or Egypt—against another third-place finisher. Belgium stands as the highest-ranked team in that group at 10th in the world rankings, with the U.S. close behind at 13th.

A crucial aspect of this progress is the ability for key players like Christian Pulisic to rest. Pulisic missed the match against Australia due to a calf injury sustained during the opener against Paraguay. With secure standings, manager Mauricio Pochettino can carefully manage playtime for Pulisic and other prominent players.

With ongoing efforts and strategies, the U.S. team continues its World Cup journey with enthusiasm and potential. They have already scored six goals in group play, equaling their past group stage record, with another match against Turkey ahead on Thursday in Los Angeles.

United States’ Alex Freeman heads the ball for a goal past Australia goalkeeper Patrick Beach during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Seattle on June 19, 2026. (Maddy Grassy/AP Photo)

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