USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina confirmed lineup for World Cup 2026 Round of 32 at Levi’s Stadium Santa Clara. Matt Freese starts in goal instead of Matt Turner. Pulisic, Balogun and McKennie all confirmed. Kickoff 8pm ET — how to watch free on Fox and Tubi.
Published: July 2, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina lineup: officially confirmed by US Soccer.
The biggest team news is this — Matt Freese starts in goal. Not Matt Turner, who has been the USMNT’s first-choice goalkeeper throughout the group stage. Pochettino has made a significant selection call for the USA’s first ever home World Cup knockout match, handing Freese the gloves for a Round of 32 tie that carries the weight of an entire nation’s football expectations.
Christian Pulisic confirmed. Folarin Balogun confirmed. Weston McKennie confirmed. Tyler Adams in midfield alongside McKennie and Pulisic. This is a USA side built to control the match from the first whistle, press with intensity and deliver the knockout stage performance that their group stage form — highlighted by Balogun’s brace in the 4-1 opening win over Paraguay — suggested was coming.
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. 8pm ET. The USA’s World Cup knockout debut. Here is everything you need.
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina — Match Facts
Date: Wednesday July 2, 2026
Kickoff: 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am BST (July 3)
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium), Santa Clara, California
Round of 32 — World Cup 2026
TV USA: Fox / FREE on Tubi / Telemundo (Spanish) / Peacock
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV Bosnia: BHRT — free to air
How to Watch USA vs Bosnia FREE
FREE in the USA:
Fox — free with cable subscription or over-the-air HD antenna. This is the main English language broadcast of the USA’s biggest match of the tournament so far.
Tubi — completely FREE, no subscription, no credit card required. Go to tubi.tv right now or download the Tubi app. Available on every device — iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TV. The easiest free option for any American fan tonight.
Telemundo — free Spanish language coverage with cable or antenna.
Peacock — Spanish language streaming via Telemundo.
FREE in the UK:
BBC One and BBC iPlayer — free to air at 1am BST on July 3.
FREE in Bosnia-Herzegovina:
BHRT (Javni servis BiH) — free to air national broadcaster covering all Bosnia-Herzegovina matches.
FREE Worldwide:
FIFA+ at plus.fifa.com — free streaming where no local rights apply.
Paid options: Fubo (USA — all 104 matches), DAZN (Canada)
CONFIRMED USA STARTING XI
Official source: US Soccer (ussoccer.com)
Goalkeeper: Matt Freese (#24)
Defence:
Sergiño Dest (#2) — right back
Chris Richards (#3) — centre back
Tyler Adams (#4) — centre back
Antonee Robinson (#5) — left back
Midfield:
Weston McKennie (#8)
Christian Pulisic (#10)
Tim Ream (#13) — Captain
Attack:
Alex Freeman (#16)
Malik Tillman (#17)
Folarin Balogun (#20)
Substitutes available: Matt Turner (#1), Chris Brady (#25), Auston Trusty (#6), Gio Reyna (#7), Ricardo Pepi (#9), Brenden Aaronson (#11), Miles Robinson (#12), Sebastian Berhalter (#14), Max Arfsten (#18), Haji Wright (#19), Tim Weah (#21), Joe Scally (#23), Alex Zendejas (#26)
Not dressed: Mark McKenzie, Cristian Roldan
THE BIG TEAM NEWS — Why Freese Over Turner?
This is the decision every American football fan will be debating before kickoff tonight. Matt Turner has been the USMNT’s primary goalkeeper for three years and started all three group stage matches, keeping two clean sheets. He is the established, trusted first choice.
Matt Freese — who plays his club football for New York City FC in MLS — has been Turner’s understudy throughout the tournament. He has not played a single minute in the group stage. And yet tonight, for the USA’s first ever home World Cup knockout match, Pochettino has chosen him.
The decision is not without logic. Freese has been in outstanding form for NYCFC this season — his shot-stopping statistics, his composure under pressure and his distribution have been among the best in MLS. Pochettino, who built his reputation at Tottenham Hotspur by trusting young players in high-pressure situations, may have judged that Freese’s current form outweighs Turner’s experience advantage.
Whether it is the right call will be answered at full time tonight. But it is the most significant selection decision Pochettino has made since taking charge of the USA.
CAPTAIN TIM REAM — A FAREWELL ON HOME SOIL
Tim Ream wears the captain’s armband tonight. At 37 years old, playing in what is certainly his final World Cup, the Fulham centre-back leads the USA out at Levi’s Stadium in the Round of 32 — the furthest the USMNT has gone in their history as co-hosts.
Ream has been exceptional in the group stage. His reading of the game, his composure in possession and his organisational leadership in the defensive line have been crucial to the USA keeping clean sheets against Bosnia and Australia in the group matches. His captaincy tonight — in front of 70,000 fans in Santa Clara, on the biggest stage of his career — is one of the individual stories of the USA’s 2026 campaign.
PULISIC AND BALOGUN — THE PARTNERSHIP THAT DEFINES THIS TEAM
Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun are the two players around whom the USA’s entire attacking identity is built. Pulisic, as captain and creative director from the right side, provides the intelligence, the link play and the moments of individual quality that create opportunities. Balogun, the New York-born Arsenal academy product playing his World Cup for the country of his birth, provides the clinical finishing that converts those opportunities into goals.
Their combined contribution in the group stage — Balogun’s two goals against Paraguay, Pulisic’s assists and driving runs — gave the USA one of the most effective attacking partnerships in the tournament’s opening phase. Bosnia’s defensive unit, which conceded to Canada in the group stage but held firm otherwise, will face a specific challenge in trying to stop this combination from producing at Levi’s Stadium tonight.
McKennie’s energy and pressing from central midfield — the most underappreciated element of the USA’s collective game — gives Pulisic and Balogun the platform they need. His work rate in the 4-1 win over Paraguay was the hidden engine that made everything else possible.
Bosnia’s Situation — What They Need
Bosnia-Herzegovina qualified for the Round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams from the group stage — an achievement in itself for a nation that drew 1-1 with Canada and organised themselves well defensively throughout. Ermedin Demirovic is their most dangerous player and has been consistent at Bundesliga level for years. If Demirovic can find space against the USA’s centre-back partnership — Richards and Adams tonight, not the usual Adams-Ream combination — Bosnia have the quality to score.
But Bosnia face an enormous challenge. They are playing the co-host nation at a sold-out stadium in California with the full force of American football momentum behind the home side. The USA’s 4-1 win over Paraguay announced them to the tournament. Canada’s recent history — and Belgium’s comeback against Senegal earlier tonight — confirms that anything can happen in these knockout matches.
Bosnia need to be organised, disciplined and clinical in front of goal on the counter. Demirovic needs to be their constant threat. They have shown they can defend and compete across 90 minutes. Whether they can do it against this specific USA side, at this specific venue, on this specific night, is the question.
The Stakes Tonight
This is the biggest match in the history of American football — at least in terms of stage and occasion. The USA at a home World Cup, in a knockout match, in front of 70,000 of their own fans at Levi’s Stadium. They have beaten Paraguay 4-1. They have held Bosnia in the group stage. They have drawn with Australia and pushed every opponent they have faced.
The winner of tonight’s match faces Belgium in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle — the same venue where Belgium just completed the greatest comeback of the entire tournament. USA vs Belgium in the Round of 16, with the momentum of tonight and Belgium riding the emotional wave of their Senegal comeback, is one of the most anticipated possible Round of 16 fixtures remaining.
But first, Bosnia. First, Freese’s debut night. First, Pulisic and Balogun and McKennie and Tim Ream lifting the armband in Santa Clara.
8pm ET. Free on Tubi. Free on Fox. America is watching.
Match Prediction
USA to win comfortably. Bosnia’s defensive organisation will create a more competitive first 30 minutes than the 4-1 win over Paraguay suggested. Demirovic will cause problems. Freese will have at least one important save to make.
But the USA’s attacking quality through Pulisic and Balogun, combined with the specific motivational intensity of a home World Cup knockout night, should be too much for a Bosnia side that qualified as a third-placed team.
Prediction: USA 3-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Balogun to score again. Pulisic to assist. Freese to make the saves that justify Pochettino’s selection call. And Tim Ream to lift the captain’s armband in the 90th minute at Levi’s Stadium — on the night that sends the USA into the Round of 16 for the first time as a home World Cup team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the USA confirmed lineup vs Bosnia?
USA confirmed XI: Matt Freese (GK); Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson (defence); Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream — Captain (midfield); Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun (attack). Kickoff 8pm ET at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara.
Why is Matt Freese starting instead of Matt Turner for USA?
Pochettino has chosen Matt Freese over regular starter Matt Turner for the USA’s Round of 32 match against Bosnia. Freese has been in outstanding form for NYCFC in MLS this season. Turner is available on the bench.
What time is USA vs Bosnia tonight?
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina kicks off at 8pm Eastern Time / 5pm Pacific Time on Wednesday July 2, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
How can I watch USA vs Bosnia for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely FREE — no subscription needed. Also free on Fox with cable or antenna. In the UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer, free to air. In Bosnia: BHRT free to air.
Who is the USA captain vs Bosnia?
Tim Ream (#13) captains the United States against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 37-year-old Fulham defender is one of the tournament’s elder statesmen and a crucial part of the USA’s defensive organisation.
Who does the USA play if they beat Bosnia?
The USA face Belgium in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle, after Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in a stunning comeback earlier tonight.
Is USA vs Bosnia on Tubi?
Yes — USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina is available to stream completely free on Tubi in the United States. Go to tubi.tv or download the Tubi app. No subscription or credit card required.
Conclusion
USA vs Bosnia-Herzegovina. 8pm ET. Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara. Freese starts. Pulisic leads. Balogun hunts his third goal of the tournament. Tim Ream captains from the back.
Belgium just showed the entire world what a World Cup comeback looks like. Now the USA have the chance to show what a home World Cup knockout win looks like — and set up what could be one of the great Round of 16 fixtures against Belgium in Seattle.
Free on Tubi. Free on Fox. 8pm ET. The co-host nation’s biggest night of football starts now.
Read next: USA vs Bosnia — Full Time Result and Match Report — World Cup 2026
Related: Belgium 3-2 Senegal AET — The Greatest Comeback Nobody Saw Coming
Related: USA World Cup 2026 Schedule — USMNT Complete Knockout Stage Guide
Related: Bosnia-Herzegovina World Cup 2026 Schedule — Full Campaign Guide
Does Freese justify Pochettino’s selection call tonight — and are you excited about a potential USA vs Belgium Round of 16? Tell us in the comments below