USMNT Round of 16: Belgium Next After Bosnia Win© Instagram
The United States are through to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup after one of the more dramatic wins of the knockout stage so far. Folarin Balogun put the USMNT ahead on the stroke of halftime with a composed finish after a deflected Malik Tillman through ball fell perfectly into his path. Then, in the 64th minute, Balogun was shown a red card following a VAR review for violent conduct after contact with Tarik Muharemovic, a decision that looked harsh and drew immediate criticism from American media. Tillman, who had set up the opener, then stepped up in the 82nd minute and bent a free kick beyond Nikola Vasilj to seal a 2-0 win and send the crowd at Levi’s Stadium into delirium. The USMNT played the final 36 minutes with 10 men and never looked like conceding.
Balogun’s goal was his third of the tournament, tying the American record for goals at a single World Cup. He will miss the Round of 16 through suspension.
USMNT Round of 16: USA vs Belgium Date, Time and Venue
The United States will face Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6, at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. Kick-off is at 8pm ET, which is 1am BST on Tuesday July 7 for UK viewers. The match will be broadcast on FOX in the United States.
Belgium advanced from their side of the bracket by beating Senegal 3-2 after extra time on Wednesday, with Kevin de Bruyne scoring the winning goal deep into additional time. It is the second time the USA and Belgium have met in a World Cup knockout match, following the famous 2-1 extra-time defeat in Brazil in 2014 when Tim Howard made a record 16 saves in a heroic losing effort.
USA’s Path Beyond the Round of 16
If the United States beat Belgium, their quarter-final would be at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Thursday July 10. A potential semi-final would follow at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday July 14, with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday July 19.
Pochettino’s side have already beaten Paraguay 4-1, Australia, and Turkey in the group stage before dispatching Bosnia tonight. The pressure of playing without Balogun against Belgium is real. But this USMNT has already shown it can win ugly when it needs to.
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