The first goal for the U.S. men's national team at the 2024 Copa America is to escape from group play and qualify for a knockout stage spot.
Many expect much more of this USMNT side, but the first step is to finish amongst the top two in Group C and qualify for the bracket-style knockout portion of the competition. Elimination from the group stage would be massively disappointing for them and would leave Gregg Berhalter's standing as head coach in seriously hot water.
A quarterfinal place is the minimum required by most benchmarks, but some fans and media have expressed their expectation of reaching even further into the tournament. Still, in order to do that, they must first secure passage from Group C, where they were drawn alongside Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia.
After beating Bolivia in the opener, The Sporting News details what the United States must do across its final two group games to secure a knockout stage spot.
MORE: 2024 Copa America standings, schedule, fixtures, and results
How USA can qualify for Copa America knockout stage
Divided into four groups of four teams each, only the two best from each group will qualify for the knockout phase.
The United States can mathematically confirm a knockout stage spot with a group game to spare, but they'll need just a little bit of outside help.
The USMNT picked up three points with a 2-0 win over Bolivia in the first game, putting them in a strong position moving forward, but there is still work to be done.
Should they secure a victory against Panama in their second Group C match, the United States would have six points which would lock down a quarterfinal place regardless of the other results.
If the U.S. does not win against Panama, it would leave qualification to the final game against the group's toughest opponent Uruguay, in a match where they will almost surely not be considered the favorites.
LIVE BLOG: Follow along with updates & highlights from USA vs. Panama in Copa America group stage
Who will the USA play in the Copa America knockout stage?
The knockout portion of the 2024 Copa America is not structured like the European Championship or the World Cup, which scatters the two qualifiers from each group onto opposite sides of the bracket.
Instead, qualifiers from each group are situated on the same side of the bracket, making predicting where each team will land much simpler.
Should the U.S. finish top two in Group C and qualify for the knockouts, they would match up against a Group D qualifier from the opposite position. Thus, if the USMNT finish first in Group C, they would face the second-place qualifier from Group D, whereas if the U.S. finishes second in Group C, they would face the winner of Group D.
This means they would most likely match up against either Brazil or Colombia in the quarterfinals, unless either Costa Rica or Paraguay spring an upset and qualify instead.
Copa America 2024 Group C standings
| Pos | Team | GP | Pts | W-D-L | GD |
| 1. | Uruguay | 1 | 3 | 1-0-0 | +2 |
| 2. | USA | 1 | 3 | 1-0-0 | +2 |
| 3. | Bolivia | 1 | 0 | 0-0-1 | -2 |
| 4. | Panama | 1 | 0 | 0-0-1 | -2 |
Copa America 2024 Group C fixtures, results
| Date | Time (ET) | Match (click for tickets/recap) | Location |
| Sun, Jun. 23 | 6 p.m. | USA 2-0 Bolivia | Arlington, TX (AT&T Stadium) |
| Sun, Jun. 23 | 9 p.m. | Uruguay 3-1 Panama | Miami, FL (Hard Rock Stadium) |
| Thu, Jun. 27 | 6 p.m. | Panama vs. USA | Atlanta, GA (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) |
| Thu, Jun. 27 | 9 p.m. | Uruguay vs. Bolivia | East Rutherford, NJ (MetLife Stadium) |
| Mon, Jul. 1 | 9 p.m. | Bolivia vs. Panama | Orlando, FL (Exploria Stadium) |
| Mon, Jul. 1 | 9 p.m. | USA vs. Uruguay | Kansas City, MO (Arrowhead Stadium) |