who will usa play next in the world cup
Quick answer: USA’s next World Cup opponent
The United States men’s national team (USMNT) will play Belgium next in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Match details: USA vs Belgium (Round of 16)
- Stage: Round of 16 (knockout round)
- Date: Monday, July 6, 2026
- Kickoff time: 8 p.m. ET
- Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- Broadcast (U.S.): FOX / FOX One (and streaming via FOX platforms)
This matchup was set after the U.S. beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 in the round of 32 on July 1, while Belgium advanced by defeating Senegal 3–2 in extra time on the same day.
How the USA got here
The U.S. entered the knockout phase as Group D winners , having:
- Beaten Paraguay 4–1 in their opener at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
- Lost to Türkiye 2–3
- Beat Australia 2–0 to secure top spot in the group
As group winners, they faced a third-placed team in the round of 32 and drew Bosnia and Herzegovina , whom they defeated 2–0 to reach the last 16.
What’s at stake
- A win over Belgium sends the USA into the quarterfinals.
- If the U.S. advances, their quarterfinal opponent will be the winner of one of these pairings:
- Portugal vs Croatia
- Spain vs Austria
(These round-of-32 games feed into the same side of the bracket as the USA.)
Notable team news: Balogun suspension
U.S. forward Folarin Balogun received a red card in the Bosnia match and is suspended for the Belgium game , meaning the USMNT must go without him in this crucial round-of-16 clash.
Possible path beyond Belgium (if USA keep winning)
If the U.S. beats Belgium, here’s the projected path based on the bracket:
- Quarterfinals (July 10, Los Angeles area): vs winner of Portugal/Croatia or Spain/Austria
- Semifinals (July 14, Dallas): possible opponents include France, Paraguay, Morocco, or Canada (depending on how their round-of-16 games go)
- Final (July 19, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey): if they win every match before it
TL;DR
- Next opponent: Belgium
- When: Monday, July 6, 2026, 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Lumen Field, Seattle
- Why it matters: Winner goes to the World Cup quarterfinals; loser is out.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.