U.S. falls to Turkey, still tops Group D and reaches knockout stage

The U.S. men's national team conceded three goals to Turkey at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and still finished first in Group D. The 3-2 loss on Thursday ended the Americans' unbeaten run at the 2026 World Cup, but it did not undo the earlier work that sent Mauricio Pochettino's side into the Round of 32 with a match to spare.

That advance was secured with Friday's 2-0 win over Australia, a result that locked in the knockout berth and left the U.S. atop the group on six points. The Turkey match, though, offered a sharper read on the Americans' margin for error. Once the score tilted against them, the U.S. could no longer lean on the clean, controlled form that had carried the group stage to that point.

FIFA said the U.S. had scored eight goals at the 2026 finals, the most in a single World Cup in the program's history. That total moved past the previous U.S. record of seven, set in 1930 and matched in 2002. The numbers underline the attacking progress, but the Turkey defeat showed that the team's defensive structure still has to hold up when the opponent can force a more open game.

The timing matters as much as the result. With advancement already secured, the Americans had the chance to use the final Group D match as a test of squad rotation and knockout-round readiness, but Turkey's three goals made the exercise less cosmetic than instructive. The loss did not change the bracket position, yet it did sharpen the questions Pochettino will carry into the next round about how much personnel flexibility the team can absorb without losing control.

The U.S. now moves on to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, with that match set for Wednesday in Santa Clara, California. From here on out, there is no cushion left in the tournament. One loss will send the Americans home, and the brief wobble against Turkey made that reality harder to ignore.