Is the U.S. out of the World Cup? What's next for USMNT after loss to Turkiye

Is the U.S. out of the World Cup? What's next for USMNT after loss to Turkiye originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The United States lost its most recent match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a last-second 3-2 loss to Turkiye on Thursday night.

Now that the group stage has concluded, it has plenty of people asking what's next for the USMNT.

The reality is not as worrisome as some of the fears out there. There are still games to be played.

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No, the United States is still alive in the World Cup.

That match against Turkiye was actually meaningless from a standings perspective.

Each team plays three group matches before the knockout stages begin. The U.S. won its first two group matches and had already clinched first place in Group D (and advancement to the Round of 32) before even taking on Turkiye.

That's why coach Mauricio Pochettino heavily rotated the lineup, keeping players fresh and avoiding any unnecessary injuries or suspensions.

It led to a bit of a disjointed matchup with Turkiye, but it didn't actually impact anything about the tournament in a larger sense for the U.S.

What's next for USA at World Cup?

The U.S. will play in the Round of 32 on Wednesday against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The match will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

From this point on, it is win-or-go-home.

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