​The U.S. Men’s National Team is entering the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a heightened sense of urgency, as the first-ever Round of 32 in the tournament’s long history kicks off. While Canada-South Africa met to begin the Round of 32 at Los Angeles Stadium, the U.S. squad returned to its Irvine base at Orange County Great Park for a final stretch of preparations. Having just won Group D — the Americans’ fourth group-title finish at a World Cup and the first since 2010 — the team now shifts focus to elimination play. The U.S. will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, July 1, marking the start of single-elimination competition where every moment and every touch could determine fate. As striker Folarin Balogun put it, this phase is “more serious” and “crunch time,” the business end where top players must shoulder the pressure and drive results.
Balogun has been central to the U.S.’s productive run in the tournament, leading the team in goals at World Cup 2026 despite missing the group-stage finale against Türkiye to avoid a yellow-card suspension. The New York-born forward has already tallied a brace against Paraguay and forced an own goal against Australia, pushing him toward becoming an indispensable scorer for the team. Balogun contributed to a broad strategic shift, having started the first two group matches but being among nine players rotated by head coach Mauricio Pochettino between Australia on June 19 and Türkiye on June 25. That rotation gave depth players crucial World Cup minutes and kept the squad sharp for the knockout rounds.
Another veteran starter who found minutes during the latest run of matches is wingback Sergiño Dest. He entered as a substitute against Türkiye, coming on for Gio Reyna to log 24 minutes plus stoppage time. Dest has proven valuable on both ends of the pitch and, as one of 13 returnees from the 2022 Qatar edition, understands the stakes of the upcoming rounds. The knockout stage demands elevated performance, as every game, minute, and touch now carries increased significance on the path toward advancing or being sent home.