When was last USA round of 16 win? Furthest USMNT has gone in World Cup

Nairavoice | Jul 6, 2026 4h ago 80 0 2 min read

When was last USA round of 16 win? Furthest USMNT has gone in World Cup

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SEATTLE — The United States men’s national team is on the cusp on one of its deepest runs in its World Cup history.

The stakes continue to rise for USMNT as it goes through the 2026 World Cup knockout round, facing Belgium in the round of 16 on Monday, July 6. History was already achieved when the U.S. beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 for its first knockout round win in more than two decades, and there will be another drought USMNT will attempt to snap at Lumen Field. Winning two knockout round matches is something it has never done in a single World Cup tournament.

Besides continuing the dream of World Cup glory on American grass, there is also plenty of history at stake for the U.S.

Like it did in the round of 32, the U.S. is trying to do something it hasn’t done in 24 years.

The U.S. is aiming to win its first round of 16 match since the 2002 World Cup, which also was the last knockout round win prior to 2026. The last round of 16 win was in that tournament against Mexico. It later lost in the quarterfinals to Germany.

The round of 16 hasn’t been a good for the U.S.; it has a 1-5 record in the round.

With a win over Belgium, the U.S. would be in the quarterfinals for the second time ever, and would win two knockout round games in the same tournament for the first time.

It’s been nearly 100 years since the United States’ best finish in the World Cup. In the 1930 edition, the first ever World Cup, it finished in third place − although there were only 13 teams in that field and there was only two knockout rounds.

In the 11 total World Cups USMNT has been in, it has one semifinal appearance, one quarterfinal appearance and four round of 16 appearances. Here is the full list of how far the U.S. has gotten in World Cup history: