Last Updated on 13 seconds ago by TodayWhy Editorial
If you watched the USMNT lose to Türkiye 3-2 on a last-kick winner Thursday night and immediately searched “is the US out of the World Cup,” you’re not alone — it was one of the most-searched football questions in the country within minutes of the final whistle. The short answer: no. The United States is very much still in the 2026 World Cup. Here’s why a loss didn’t knock them out — and who’s eliminated instead.
Why losing to Türkiye didn’t eliminate the US
The result looked dramatic: Kaan Ayhan scored in the 98th minute to give Türkiye a 3-2 win over the USMNT at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, as FIFA’s official match centre confirms. But the match had zero bearing on either team’s path through the tournament, because both teams’ fates in Group D had already been sealed before kickoff.
The US had already clinched first place in Group D with wins over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0) in its first two matches. Türkiye, meanwhile, had already been eliminated from Round of 32 contention after losing both of its earlier games, 1-0 to Paraguay and 2-0 to Australia. With nothing left to play for in the standings, US head coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes to his starting lineup, resting key players — including four who were carrying yellow cards — ahead of the knockout rounds. That’s also why the result felt almost beside the point to American fans: the US had already won the group “without kicking a ball” in that final game, as several US outlets put it after the Sweden–Japan draw confirmed the bracket.
Why Türkiye was eliminated before the US match even started
Türkiye’s elimination wasn’t caused by the loss to the US — it happened earlier in the group stage. Türkiye lost its opening two matches, leaving it with zero points heading into the finale, while the US and Australia had already locked up the top two spots in Group D. Beating the US in the last game gave Türkiye pride and its only win of the tournament, but mathematically it changed nothing: with the group’s other results already final, Türkiye could not catch either of the two qualifying teams regardless of Thursday’s outcome.
Video: Türkiye vs United States Highlights
What happens next for the US
By winning Group D, the US secured a Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which advanced as one of the tournament’s eight best third-place finishers after beating Qatar in its final group game. The match is set for July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with kickoff at 8 p.m. ET. Full bracket details are available on the official FIFA World Cup knockout stage page. If the US wins, its path is already mapped out: the Round of 16 on July 6 at Lumen Field in Seattle, a potential quarterfinal on July 10 at SoFi Stadium, a possible semifinal on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Why the format made the confusion more likely this year
Some of the search confusion traces back to the expanded tournament format itself. The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams across 12 groups of four, rather than the 32-team, eight-group format used in 2022. Under the old system, only the top two teams in each group advanced. Under the new one, the top two from each group still advance automatically, but an additional eight slots in the Round of 32 go to the best-ranked third-place teams across all 12 groups — exactly the route Bosnia and Herzegovina took out of Group B. With more permutations in play, a result like Türkiye beating the US can look more consequential on the scoreboard than it actually is for the bracket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the US out of the World Cup after losing to Türkiye?
No. The US had already won Group D before the match against Türkiye even kicked off, thanks to earlier wins over Paraguay and Australia. The 3-2 loss to Türkiye had no effect on the standings.
Did Türkiye get eliminated from the World Cup?
Yes, but not because of the loss to the US — Türkiye was already eliminated from Round of 32 contention after losing its first two group games, before its final match against the US was even played.
Who does the US play next in the World Cup?
The US faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced as one of the eight best third-place finishers under the tournament’s expanded 48-team format.
How does the 48-team World Cup format work?
Twelve groups of four teams each play a round-robin. The top two teams from every group advance automatically to the Round of 32, and the remaining eight spots are filled by the best-ranked third-place finishers across all 12 groups, based on points, goal difference, goals scored, and fair play score as tiebreakers.