US World Cup Knockout Round History
The United States has consistently reached the knockout stages of the World Cup, but their progress beyond this point has been limited. Wednesday's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina marks their eighth appearance in an elimination round in 12 World Cups, with only one win in the knockout rounds, which came in 2002.
This year's expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams, has introduced an additional round of elimination play. As a result, the first knockout round now includes 32 teams, presenting the US with an opportunity to break their curse in the win-or-go-home stage.
The US has a short and largely unsuccessful record in the World Cup knockout rounds. Their first World Cup appearance saw them advance to the semifinals, where they lost 6-1 to Argentina. In the second edition, they were eliminated immediately with a 7-1 loss to host and eventual champion Italy.
The US failed to qualify for the World Cup from 1954 to 1986 and was eliminated in the group stage in 1990. As the host nation in 1994, they earned a spot in the knockout round, where they lost 1-0 to Brazil, despite the Brazilians being down to 10 men after a red card.
The US achieved their best showing in the modern era in 2002, with an upset win over Portugal and a draw with co-host South Korea, followed by a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the knockout round. However, their run ended with a 1-0 loss to eventual finalist Germany.
In recent years, the US has continued to struggle in the knockout rounds. A dramatic 1-0 win over Algeria in 2010 was followed by a 2-1 loss to Ghana in extra time. In 2014, the US advanced out of the group stage but lost 2-1 to Belgium in the knockout round.
The US started the 2022 World Cup with draws against Wales and England and advanced with a 1-0 win over Iran. However, their tournament ended with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands.
US Hopes to Advance
The US will look to break their knockout round curse when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday. A win would mark a significant step forward for the team and provide a much-needed boost to their World Cup campaign.
