Just eight teams remain at the 2026 World Cup after a thrilling round of 16.
Some of the world’s biggest countries fell by the wayside, including Brazil and Portugal, and all three co-hosts—the United States, Mexico and Canada—were also dumped out of the competition in very contrasting circumstances.
After a day of rest on Wednesday, it’s swiftly on to the quarterfinals—and there’s four titanic tussles to look forward to.
Confirmed Quarterfinal Matches at the 2026 World Cup
France vs. Morocco
- Location : Foxborough, United States
- Stadium : Gillette Stadium
- Date : Thursday, July 9
- Kick-off Time : 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 9 p.m BST
Morocco and France became the first two teams to punch their tickets to the quarterfinals. The Atlas Lions dispatched Canada 3–0 in Houston just a few hours before Les Bleus edged past Paraguay 1–0 in Philadelphia.
Now the two will lock horns in Boston with a place in the semifinals on the line. France come into the fixture with five wins in five matches, looking very much like the favorites to win this summer’s tournament. Yet unbeaten Morocco is impressive in its own right, hanging with Brazil in the group stage and then taking out the Netherlands in the round of 32.
France and Morocco squared off in the 2022 World Cup semifinals, and the Europeans came away with a 2–0 victory. Both sides have new stars taking center stage four years later, though, setting up what promises to be a tantalizing fixture.
Norway vs. England
- Location : Miami, United States
- Stadium : Hard Rock Stadium
- Date : Saturday, July 11
- Kick-off Time : 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT / 10 p.m BST
Norway dismantled five-time world champion Brazil 2–1 on Sunday, thanks to two late goals from Erling Haaland, both of which came in the final 10 minutes of the match. Although Neymar brought Brazil within one in stoppage time off of a penalty kick—a parting gift for his international retirement—the finish proved only consolatory. The red-hot Vikings, led by 25-year-old Haaland who now has seven goals this summer and is showing zero sign of slowing down, will like their odds against the mighty Three Lions.
England will likely still enter Saturday as the match favorite, but it will be feeling anything but confident. Thomas Tuchel’s men narrowly survived the DR Congo in the round of 32, before counting themselves lucky to come out of the Estadio Azteca unscathed, earning a 3–2 victory over Mexico.
Spain vs. Belgium
- Location : Los Angeles, United States
- Stadium : SoFi Stadium
- Date : Friday, July 10
- Kick-off Time : 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m BST
Spain downed its Iberian neighbor, Portugal, 1–0 in an affair that was rather boring and evenly-matched until Mikel Merino performed stoppage time heroics to avoid extra time play.
Belgium will certainly have its hands full with the Spanish powerhouse; however, it proved on Monday night that it should not be so quickly discounted. After a lackluster start to the tournament and serious doubt about its capabilities, Belgium punished the U.S. men’s national team 4–1 to advance to the next stage.
Argentina vs. Switzerland
- Location : Kansas, United States
- Stadium : Arrowhead Stadium
- Date : Saturday, July 11
- Kick-off Time : 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT / 2 a.m BST (July 12)
Argentina was heading out of the World Cup with just 11 minutes remaining of its round of 16 clash with Egypt, shockingly trailing 2–0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. But the three-time world champions never know when its beaten, and staged a miraculous recovery to edge through 3–2 thanks to goal from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi—his eighth of the tournament to retake the sole lead in the Golden Boot race—and Enzo Fernández.
Switzerland were the final country to secure its place in the quarterfinal, eventually ousting Colombia on penalties after the duo had been unable to break the deadlock at BC Place in Vancouver. Gregor Kobel was the hero in goal, saving Juan Hernández’s penalty, with Rubén Vargas netting the decisive spot-kick to send the Swiss through to the quarters for the first time in 72 years.
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