FIFA World Cup: USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina — date, time, squads
Synopsis
Host nation USA return to full strength — with Adams, Balogun, and Richards back — to face a Bosnia and Herzegovina side that knocked out Italy in qualifying and beat Qatar 3-1 to reach the knockout stage. The Round of 32 clash at Santa Clara kicks off at 5:30 AM IST on 3 July, live on Zee5 and Unite8 Sports in India.
Key Takeaways
USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina kicks off at 5:30 AM IST on Thursday, 3 July at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara .
USA topped their group with wins over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0) before resting players for a 3-2 loss to Turkiye .
Tyler Adams , Folarin Balogun , and Chris Richards are expected to return to the starting XI.
Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified via a 3-1 win over Qatar and had previously eliminated Italy in World Cup qualifiers.
Live streaming in India on Zee5 (subscription required); live telecast on Unite8 Sports 1 , Unite8 Sports 1 HD , Unite8 Sports 2 , and Unite8 Sports 2 HD .
Referee: Raphael Claus .
Host nation USA face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 on Thursday, 3 July, kicking off at 5:30 AM IST at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara. The Americans enter the knockout stage as group winners, while Bosnia arrive as confident underdogs with a point to prove on the global stage.
USA's Route to the Round of 32
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino's side cruised through the group stage with commanding victories over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0), wrapping up qualification with a match to spare. In their final group game — with key players rested — the USA fell to a 3-2 defeat against Turkiye, conceding a late winner. Regular starters Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, and Chris Richards are all expected to return to the XI for the knockout clash.
Bosnia and Herzegovina's Path Forward
Bosnia and Herzegovina navigated the group stage with one win and one draw, despite a heavy loss to Switzerland. A decisive 3-1 victory over Qatar in their final group match sealed their passage to the Round of 32. Notably, the side had already demonstrated their capacity to upset established footballing nations by eliminating Italy during the World Cup qualifiers — a result that will give them confidence heading into Thursday's tie.
Key Match Details
Date: Thursday, 3 July 2025
Kick-off: 5:30 AM IST
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara
Referee: Raphael Claus
How to Watch in India
Live streaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is available in India on the Zee5 platform and app (subscription required). Live telecast is available on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels.
Full Squads
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Goalkeepers: Osman Hadzikic, Nikola Vasilj, Martin Zlomislic
Defenders: Amar Dedic, Dennis Hadzikadunic, Nikola Katic, Sead Kolasinac, Arjan Malic, Tarik Muharemovic, Nihad Mujakic, Stjepan Radeljic
Midfielders: Kerim Alajbegovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Ivan Basic, Dzenis Burnic, Armina Gigovic, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Ermin Mahmic, Amar Memic, Ivan Sunjic, Benjamin Tahirovic
Forwards: Samed Bazdar, Ermedin Demirovic, Edin Dzeko, Jovo Lukic, Haris Tabakovic
United States of America:
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Matt Turner
Defenders: Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty
Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Malik Tillman
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright, Alejandro Zendeja
With a place in the Round of 16 on the line, this fixture pits a resurgent host nation against a side that has already shown it can eliminate giants — making it one of the more intriguing ties of the knockout round.
Point of View
This could be the upset of the round. The USA's depth is genuine, but complacency at home — in front of a partisan crowd expecting a comfortable win — is a risk Pochettino will need to manage.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina FIFA World Cup match?
The match is scheduled for Thursday, 3 July, with a kick-off at 5:30 AM IST at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, USA. It is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 fixture.
How can I watch USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina live in India?
The match is available for live streaming on the Zee5 platform and app in India (subscription required). Live telecast is on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels.
How did USA qualify for the Round of 32?
USA topped their group with convincing wins over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0), securing qualification before their final group game. They lost their last group match 3-2 to Turkiye after resting key players.
How did Bosnia and Herzegovina reach the Round of 32?
Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced with one win and one draw in the group stage, despite a heavy defeat to Switzerland. A 3-1 victory over Qatar in their final group match confirmed their place in the knockout round.
Who are the key players to watch in USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina?
For the USA, Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, and Chris Richards are expected to start after being rested in the final group game. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, veteran striker Edin Dzeko and forward Ermedin Demirovic are the primary attacking threats.
