{"id":2598,"date":"2026-06-21T11:08:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T11:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2598"},"modified":"2026-06-21T11:08:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T11:08:51","slug":"breaking-down-potential-foes-for-usmnt-in-world-cup-round-of-32","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2598","title":{"rendered":"Breaking down potential foes for USMNT in World Cup round of 32"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The United States men\u2019s national team has spent decades trying to convince the world it belongs among soccer\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n

Read more Deniz Undav\u2019s two goals rally Germany past Ivory Coast in wild comeback to clinch knockout spot<\/a><\/p>\n

Now, after two matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it is forcing everyone to pay attention.<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s 2-0 victory over Australia secured the Americans a place in the knockout stage with one group match still to play, something no U.S. team had accomplished before. Combined with Paraguay\u2019s 1-0 victory over Turkey, the U.S. officially clinched first place in Group D.<\/p>\n

The accomplishment adds to a growing list of milestones for a team many have labeled America\u2019s \u201cGolden Generation.\u201d Now attention turns toward July 1 and Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., where the Americans will face a third-place finisher from Groups B, E, F, I or J in the round of 32.<\/p>\n

The overwhelming favorite remains the winner of Wednesday\u2019s game between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar. If either side wins, it is almost certain to become the United States\u2019 next opponent.<\/p>\n

Why? Well the answer is complicated, but before the tournament, FIFA published 495 possible permutations of all results, and in 60 percent of those permutations, the winner of Qatar and Bosnia-Herzegovina advanced to play the Americans in the round of 32.<\/p>\n

A draw, however, would throw the door wide open and create a dizzying collection of possibilities stretching across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.<\/p>\n

So who would the United States want to see standing across the field in Santa Clara? Here\u2019s a look at the top 10 realistic possibilities from easiest to toughest:<\/p>\n

1. Curacao (FIFA Ranking: 83)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The dream draw. Curacao\u2019s story has been the surprise of the tournament, but after a 7-1 shellacking by Germany, and its current ranking, it would be outmatched against the Americans.<\/p>\n

2. Jordan (68)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like Curacao, who played Ecuador to a 0-0 draw on Saturday, Jordan is competing in its first World Cup. Its run is impressive, but the talent gap is significant.<\/p>\n

3. Bosnia-Herzegovina (64)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bosnia has produced spirited performances but lacks the star power of previous generations. If Bosnia beats Qatar and lands here, the U.S. should enter as a clear favorite.<\/p>\n

4. Iraq (60)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Americans would have more quality, but Iraq\u2019s defensive discipline could turn the match into a tense, physical battle that stays close longer than expected.<\/p>\n

5. Qatar (58)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The reigning Asian champions have World Cup experience and are comfortable absorbing pressure, but the U.S. would still have the better roster.<\/p>\n

6. Sweden (36)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is where things start getting uncomfortable. The physicality, aerial dominance and tournament experience of Sweden, who fell 5-1 to the Netherlands on Saturday, have troubled quality opponents for decades. Nothing would be easy in this matchup.<\/p>\n

Read more Erling Haaland has Sydney Sweeney on his mind during World Cup: \u2018Thinking of her\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Algeria (31)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Algeria has enough match-winners to punish mistakes and has a surprisingly strong attack.<\/p>\n

8. Ivory Coast (30)<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of Africa\u2019s most talented squads, it is explosive and dangerous in transition.<\/p>\n

9. Ecuador (29)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ecuador might be one of the most underrated teams in the tournament, with a 19-game unbeaten streak that was snapped in a 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n

Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don\u2019t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.<\/p>\n

Prefer to check out the action live and in person? Shop World Cup 2026 tickets on SeatGeek and make sure to use promo code NYPOST10<\/strong> for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout if you\u2019re a first-time SeatGeek user.<\/p>\n

10. Norway (26)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Striker Erling Haaland would steal the show and Norway currently has a golden generation of its own. The U.S. could win, but this would not be a favorable matchup.<\/p>\n

11. Austria (21)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Austria\u2019s tactical organization makes it extremely dangerous.<\/p>\n

12. Japan (17)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The team nobody wants to play. The movement, technical quality and relentless pressing of Japan, 4-0 winners over Tunisia on Saturday, have made it a nightmare matchup for many nations.<\/p>\n

13. Senegal (16)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The toughest potential opponent on the board, but the U.S. just beat Senegal 3-2 in a friendly in North Carolina in May.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The bottom line is that if Wednesday produces a winner between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar, that is the most likely opponent for the United States. But if the match ends level, chaos ensues.<\/p>\n

The United States could play anyone from Curacao to Senegal and the talent gap is enormous.<\/p>\n

The good news is that regardless of the opponent, the United States would be the higher-ranked team and through two matches has looked organized, confident and dangerous.<\/p>\n

Regardless of who Team USA plays, it\u2019s the opponent that should be worrying about its match against America.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll find out exactly who that is soon enough. July 1, under the bright lights of Levi\u2019s Stadium, the road to a potential World Cup Final will begin.<\/p>\n

Read more Exclusive | Penthouse to outhouse: \u2018Poor\u2019 Ilhan Omar now claims erstwhile-millionaire hubby made as little as $200 last year<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The United States has clinched first place in Group D and advanced to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32. Here’s a ranking of every potential USMNT opponent, from Curacao and Bosnia to Japan and Senegal, ahead of July 1 at Levi’s Stadium.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-soccer"],"yoast_head":"\nBreaking down potential foes for USMNT in World Cup round of 32 - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2598\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breaking down potential foes for USMNT in World Cup round of 32 - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The United States has clinched first place in Group D and advanced to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32. 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