Argentina completed an incredible comeback against England, with a late Lautaro Martinez goal securing their place in the final against Spain.

Argentina secured a great 2-1 victory over England in the closing stages and booked their place in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain. Lautaro Martinez was the hero off the bench for Argentina, and he didn’t hold back on the emotion of the moment after the final whistle.

“This is huge. I always dreamed of scoring this goal. My mom, from the day I left for Racing, never stopped making my bed. And that means more to me than a goal, than a final. I have my two kids, who have changed my life since they arrived. They made me slow down. Now I’m a man, I enjoy life,” Martinez said.

The Inter Milan forward revealed he’d sensed the moment coming even before stepping onto the pitch against England. “I dreamed it, I swear, I told Alexis I was going to score a goal. I told Facu Medina on the bench that I was going to come on and win it. This team keeps showing what it’s made of,” he continued.

Martinez also broke down how Argentina managed to turn the match around after going behind. “They got tired, after 60 minutes they had nothing left. They dropped back and we took advantage,” the forward concluded said.

How Argentina completed the comeback

England broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon, who volleyed home a long cross from Morgan Rogers to put Thomas Tuchel’s side in front at Atlanta Stadium.

Argentina responded with Enzo Fernandez, who leveled the score after being teed up by Lionel Messi. The game stayed level deep into the second half before Messi turned provider again, setting up Lautaro Martinez for a stoppage-time winner that completed the comeback and sent Argentina through to defend their title in the final against Spain.

Argentina produced a spectacular comeback to defeat England and secure their place in the final against Spain.

Spain and Argentina both booked their place in the 2026 World Cup final, closing out the semifinal round and setting up a heavyweight rematch of sorts on football’s biggest stage. The date, kickoff time, and venue for the match have already been confirmed.

Spain got the semifinal round underway with a 2-0 win over France at Dallas Stadium. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Pedro Porro doubled the lead in the second half, sending Luis de la Fuente’s side into their second World Cup final in history.

Argentina followed a day later with a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over England at Atlanta Stadium. Anthony Gordon had given the Three Lions the lead, but Enzo Fernandez leveled the match before Lautaro Martinez struck the winner, sending Lionel Scaloni’s side through to defend their title in the final.

When and where will Spain and Argentina play in the final?

Spain and Argentina will meet on Sunday, July 19, with kickoff set for 3:00 PM ET, in what promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated finals in tournament history. Both sides arrive unbeaten across the knockout rounds, with a World Cup title on the line for each.

The final is set: 🇪🇸🆚🇦🇷#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/KNZ3lX6YLV

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2026

Spain will be looking to add a second star to their crest since 2010, while Argentina chase back-to-back titles for the first time since the 1986 and 1990 editions, when Diego Maradona led them to consecutive finals.

Which stadium will host the final?

The venue for the match is New York New Jersey Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 82,500-seat venue is the largest at this year’s tournament and is expected to be at capacity for the closing match of the 2026 World Cup, with the trophy up for grabs between two nations chasing history.

Argentina face England in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, where Lautaro Martinez will begin the match on the bench.

Argentina continue their title defense and now face England in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup at Atlanta Stadium. For this crucial game, coach Lionel Scaloni once again opted to leave Lautaro Martinez on the bench.

For the third straight knockout match, Martinez will watch from the bench as Argentina kick off, with Julian Alvarez set to partner Lionel Messi up front once again.

There’s no injury concern behind the call. Martinez trained normally in the buildup and remains available to come on if Scaloni needs a different look in attack, but the coaching staff has simply found no reason to break up a partnership that keeps delivering results.

Julian Alvarez has earned his spot

The forward spot next to Messi has been an open competition all tournament, and it’s one that’s tilted firmly in Alvarez’s favor since the knockout rounds began. After coming off the bench in the first two group-stage matches, the Atletico Madrid forward started against Jordan alongside a rotated lineup, with Messi among the substitutes that day.

However, his performance wasn’t enough to secure his spot as a starter for the next game. In the Round of 32 win over Cape Verde, Martinez returned to the starting lineup, but it was Alvarez’s performance off the bench that ultimately convinced Scaloni to hand him the start against Egypt in the Round of 16.

By the quarterfinals against Switzerland, Alvarez was back in the starting lineup and was named man of the match after scoring a stunning goal — one that could be in contention for goal of the tournament — at a crucial moment in extra time to put his side ahead.

With the forward in excellent form and riding a strong run over these last few matches, Scaloni has opted to keep him in the starting lineup alongside Messi up front, leaving Martinez as a solid option off the bench.

England and Argentina clash in a crucial 2026 World Cup semifinal, with Spain waiting to find out their opponent in the final.

The second semifinal of the 2026 World Cup takes place at Atlanta Stadium, where England and Argentina meet for the tournament’s second and final spot in Sunday’s showpiece, where Spain await for their rival.

Argentina reached this stage by beating Switzerland in the overtime of the quarterfinals, a result that kept the defending champions’ title defense alive and extended their unbeaten run through the knockout rounds.

For this crucial match, Lionel Messi will start and once again captain Argentina, standing as the team’s key figure as the tournament’s joint-top scorer with eight goals, level with Kylian Mbappe.

On England‘s side, the Three Lions advanced to the semifinals after beating Norway 2-1 in the quarterfinals, with a brace from Jude Bellingham. For this match, star man Harry Kane will start and captain the Europeans in their bid to reach the final.

England’s confirmed lineup

For this match, Thomas Tuchel’s biggest dilemma centers on the right side of defense, where Jarell Quansah won’t be available due to a suspension, with Reece James or Djed Spence in line to fill in for him.

England’s confirmed starting XI: Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Djed Spence; Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson; Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.

Argentina’s confirmed lineup

Lionel Scaloni has kept his cards close to the chest, having trialed a back-five system in training that would bring Nicolas Otamendi into the defense at the expense of Rodrigo De Paul. Scaloni has suggested he could still spring a surprise, though the more heavily backed option keeps the same shape that got past Switzerland.

Argentina’s confirmed starting XI: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Giuliano Simeone, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.

Spain secured their place in the 2026 World Cup final after defeating France, and Luis de la Fuente had nothing but praise for his team.

Luis de la Fuente didn’t hold back after Spain‘s 2-0 win over France sent them into the 2026 World Cup final, delivering a bold assessment of his side’s level in the aftermath of Tuesday’s semifinal at Dallas Stadium.

“It’s hard to describe what you feel right now. The pride of managing a group of professionals like this one. We have one more step to go, and we’re going to try to get there,” de la Fuente said in his on-field interview after the game.

The Spain coach went on to reflect on the weight of the occasion and the philosophy that has carried his side through the tournament unbeaten. “There’s a lot of built-up tension right now, it’s a huge responsibility being in a World Cup final. We’ve stayed true to this idea, and it’s brought us here. I’m proud of that,” he continued.

De la Fuente saved his strongest words for his own players, framing the win over France as proof of just how far this Spain side has come. “We were facing one of the best national teams in the world, but they were up against the best team in the world. These players deserve everything. Their generosity, their talent. It’s a spectacle. Proud, happy,” the Spanish coach concluded.

Pedro Porro’s night to remember

Pedro Porro was one of the standout performers in Spain’s win over France, doubling the lead with a well-taken second goal that put the match out of reach and sent his team to the final.

Porro’s goal came in the 58th minute, the product of a slick give-and-go with Dani Olmo through the middle of France’s defense. The 26-year-old defender played it in, received the return pass in stride, and beat Mike Maignan with a low finish to make it 2-0.

“It’s a dream come true. Very happy with the team’s attitude, from start to finish. We played a great match. This belongs to the team — congratulations to everyone, because we put on a huge performance,” the Tottenham defender said after the game.

Asked about his fitness for the final, Porro admitted the physical toll of the tournament is starting to show. “We’ll see (about being ready for the final). I’d say I’m exhausted right now. Now it’s about recovery,” he added.

Spain defeated France and secured a place in the 2026 World Cup final, where they'll look to claim the second title in their history.

The first finalist of the 2026 World Cup was decided at Dallas Stadium, after Spain claimed a strong 2-0 win over France to book their place at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.

Spain broke the deadlock through a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty, taking his tournament tally to five goals, before Pedro Porro doubled the lead in the second half to put the result out of reach.

The win sends Luis de la Fuente’s men into their second World Cup final in history, with the chance to lift a second title of their own, following their triumph back in the 2010 edition in South Africa.

With that, Spain arrive at the final unbeaten, having conceded just one goal across the entire tournament, winning six matches and drawing only their group-stage opener against Cape Verde.

🏁 FINAL DEL PARTIDO EN DALLAS.

¡¡𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗦 𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗔 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗔𝗟!!

🇫🇷 🆚 🇪🇸 | 0-2 | 45+7’#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/vUn77RtBou

— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 14, 2026

Spain’s final opponent and venue

Spain will now wait on the winner of England and Argentina, who meet in the tournament’s second semifinal on Wednesday, July 15, at Atlanta Stadium.

The 2026 World Cup final is set for Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where Spain will look to add a second star to their crest.

For France, the loss brings an end to their bid for an unprecedented third straight World Cup final, a run that included the 2018 title and the heartbreaking penalty-shootout loss to Argentina in 2022.

France and Spain face off in a crucial 2026 World Cup semifinal, both looking to become the tournament's first finalist.

France and Spain clash in what promises to be a great match at Dallas Stadium, with the winner becoming the first finalist of the 2026 World Cup.

France head into this match ranked 1st in the FIFA World Rankings, with 1,948.97 points, having jumped two spots over the course of the tournament after putting together a strong campaign so far.

Didier Deschamps‘ men have been unbeaten across all six of their matches so far, topping their group before edging past Sweden in the Round of 32 and beating Paraguay in the Round of 16. They then dispatched Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals behind goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele to book their spot in the last four.

Standing in their way is a Spain side ranked 3rd in the world, with 1,934.79 points. Luis de la Fuente’s men needed to grind through the knockout rounds, beating Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 before edging Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Mikel Merino’s late winner.

France looking for a third straight final

Beyond the ranking gap, France arrive at this semifinal chasing a piece of modern history. A win over Spain would send them to a third consecutive World Cup final, a feat no nation has managed since Brazil made three straight finals from 1994 to 2002.

The first of those two previous finals ended in triumph. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, France beat Croatia 4-2 to lift the trophy for a second time in their history.

Four years later, at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, France came agonizingly close to going back-to-back, drawing 3-3 with Argentina after Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick forced extra time, only to lose 4-2 on penalties in one of the greatest finals in tournament history.

Spain face France in a crucial 2026 World Cup semifinal, and Mikel Merino will once again begin the match on the bench.

France clash with Spain and Mikel Merino will not be on his team’s starting eleven in today’s 2026 World Cup semifinal at Dallas Stadium, despite arriving at this stage of the tournament as arguably one of the country’s most in-form players.

Manager Luis de la Fuente is keeping the same setup that has carried Spain through the knockout rounds: Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Alex Baena feeding Mikel Oyarzabal up front. There’s no space in that XI for Merino, who will once again start the match among the substitutes.

It isn’t a form issue, and it isn’t fitness-related, either — it’s a matter of not wanting to break a winning formula. De la Fuente has leaned on the same core group for most of the tournament, reserving Merino for a specific job late in games rather than folding him into the starting shape.

In midfield, the manager opted to stick with Rodri and Fabian Ruiz, just as he did against Belgium, while Pedri began among the substitutes and came on in the second half as a replacement for Rodri.

Spain’s most dangerous man off the bench

That job has paid off twice in as many knockout rounds. Merino came off the bench in the Round of 16 against Portugal and needed only a handful of minutes to win a free-kick that sparked Spain’s winning move, before finishing it himself in stoppage time to eliminate Cristiano Ronaldo’s side 1-0.

He repeated the trick in the quarterfinals against Belgium, entering as a substitute and scoring the 88th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory that punched Spain’s ticket to the semifinals.

With two of Spain’s last two knockout goals both belonging to Merino, de la Fuente has every reason to keep saving him for the same role against France — even if it means the Arsenal midfielder starts yet another must-win match on the bench.

France face Spain in a crucial 2026 World Cup semifinal, where Manu Kone will begin the match from the bench.

France face Spain in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup at Dallas Stadium, and manager Didier Deschamps opted to leave Manu Kone out of his starting eleven.

For this crucial match, France have Aurelien Tchouameni back from a muscle injury, and Deschamps has named him in the starting midfield alongside Adrien Rabiot.

It’s a tactical decision, as Tchouameni is fully recovered and viewed by Deschamps as the player who gives France’s midfield more balance, pushing Kone back to the bench as depth.

Tchouameni’s return ends Kone’s run as a starter

Tchouameni’s absence traces back to a muscle injury he picked up in training shortly after France’s Round of 32 win over Sweden. The issue, affecting his left adductor, ruled him out of the team’s next two knockout matches: a 1-0 win over Paraguay in the Round of 16 and a 2-0 victory over Morocco in the quarterfinals.

In his place, Kone stepped into the starting lineup for both of those matches, helping France keep a clean sheet in each and playing a part in the team’s run to the last four without their usual midfield anchor.

With Tchouameni now declared fit and Deschamps eager to restore the balance he provides against a possession-heavy Spain side, Kone reverts to a squad option, leaving him without a start for the first time since the Round of 16.

France and Spain face off in a crucial 2026 World Cup semifinal, with a place in the final on the line.

The 2026 World Cup semifinals get underway at Dallas Stadium, where France and Spain meet in a heavyweight clash as both sides look to book their place in Sunday’s grand final.

Spain reached this stage by beating Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinals, a match settled by Mikel Merino’s 88th-minute winner after Fabian Ruiz’s opener had been canceled out by Charles De Ketelaere. It capped a knockout run that also included a 1-0 win over Portugal in the Round of 16.

For this crucial match, Lamine Yamal will start and be one of the attacking focal points alongside Mikel Oyarzabal, the team’s top scorer with four goals.

France, meanwhile, arrive unbeaten through six matches, having swept past Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals behind goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

Mbappe leads all scorers at the tournament with eight goals, more than half of France’s total output in the competition, and will start and captain his side once again.

France’s confirmed lineup

Didier Deschamps’ main decision centers on Aurelien Tchouameni, who is available again after missing two matches with a muscle injury but has been described as not fully fit. However, Deschamps could still hand him the start over Manu Kone.

France‘s confirmed starting XI: Mike Maignan; Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola; Kylian Mbappe.

Spain’s confirmed lineup

Luis de la Fuente is expected to stick with the same approach that got past Belgium, keeping Fabian Ruiz and Dani Olmo both involved through the middle of the park rather than turning to Pedri, who remains an option off the bench.

Spain‘s confirmed starting XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal.

According to reports, Lionel Scaloni is considering changes around Lionel Messi ahead of the clash with England, with Rodrigo De Paul potentially left out of the starting lineup.

Lionel Messi‘s Argentina remain firmly on course in their bid to defend their title, and they now face England in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup, with a place in the final on the line.

For this crucial match, Lionel Scaloni is reportedly set to make changes to the side that defeated Switzerland in the quarterfinals, and according to ESPN Argentina’s Diego Monroig, Rodrigo De Paul is one of the players who could be dropped from the starting eleven.

The Inter Miami midfielder is reportedly in danger of losing his starting spot against England, with Nicolas Gonzalez and Giuliano Simeone under consideration to replace him.

De Paul was one of the low points in Argentina‘s win over Switzerland, which is why Scaloni could opt to bring in both Gonzalez and Simeone out wide in midfield. Up front, the coach is expected to keep Messi alongside Julian Alvarez, again leaving Lautaro Martinez among the substitutes.

Nicolas Otamendi could earn a spot as well

Among the variants Scaloni is weighing is a change in formation. During much of Monday’s training session, the coach tested a back-five setup, with Nicolas Otamendi coming in as a center back alongside Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez, aiming for a more solid structure against England’s attacking threat.

That scheme would cost Rodrigo De Paul his spot in midfield to bring the veteran defender into the back line, a call Scaloni could hold off on until just before Wednesday’s clash in Atlanta.

Playing with five defenders isn’t new for Scaloni — he made the same switch during Qatar 2022, changing his approach against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals, a match Argentina went on to win on penalties.

The quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup have wrapped up, and the four remaining teams now know where and when they'll face off for a place in the final.

The quarterfinal round of the 2026 World Cup has delivered its final four, and the road to the title has never been clearer. Across four matches spread over three days, the tournament trimmed its final eight down to the semifinalists who will battle for a place in the championship game.

France were the first side through, dispatching Morocco 2-0 at Boston Stadium, with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele sealing the tournament’s first semifinal spot.

A day later, Spain followed them into the last four with a 2-1 win over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium, a match settled by Mikel Merino’s 88th-minute rebound after Fabian Ruiz’s opener and Charles De Ketelaere’s equalizer had cancelled each other out.

The final two semifinal berths were decided on Saturday, where England needed a stoppage-time equalizer and a Jude Bellingham extra-time winner to get past Norway, while Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez gave Argentina a 3-1 win over Switzerland to reach the semifinals.

OFFICIAL: THE 2026 WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS ARE SET.

Only four matches remain before the tournament comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/THXIxMw03B

— Bolavip US (@bolavipus) July 12, 2026

2026 World Cup semifinal schedule

With the bracket complete, here is the full slate for the final four:

Tuesday, July 14

France vs Spain — Dallas Stadium

Wednesday, July 15

England vs Argentina — Atlanta Stadium

FIFA explained the controversial goal that England scored to level the match against Norway.

FIFA has moved to defend the officiating in England’s dramatic World Cup quarterfinal victory over Norway, addressing a controversial passage of play that saw Jude Bellingham’s equalizer stand despite replays appearing to show the ball striking an overhead camera cable moments earlier.

The incident unfolded in the first half at Miami Stadium, where Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland sent a goal kick upfield that appeared to clip one of the suspended cables connected to the stadium’s robotic skycam system, altering its trajectory before it dropped to Elliot Anderson.

After Anderson got the ball, England worked the ball forward and two passes later it found Bellingham, who finished emphatically to make it 1-1 just before halftime.

Norway’s players and coaching staff, including manager Stale Solbakken, immediately protested to the officials, arguing the ball should have been ruled out of play once it made contact with an object outside the field of play.

Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the 'heartbeat of the ball' when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball. pic.twitter.com/gYf9ukfveT

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) July 11, 2026

Referee Clement Turpin allowed play to continue without a VAR intervention, and FIFA later confirmed why. According to the governing body, the tournament’s connected match ball is fitted with a sensor that registers even minimal contact, and a check of that data showed no anomaly, or “peak,” at the moment in question, meaning there was no recorded evidence the ball had struck the cable at all.

England awaits for rival

Having sealed their place in the last four, England now know only half of the equation. The Three Lions will face the winner of Argentina and Switzerland, who meet at Kansas City Stadium for the tournament’s final semifinal spot. England’s semifinal is set for Wednesday, July 15, at the Atlanta Stadium.

The other half of the bracket is already decided. France and Spain, both already through, meet a day earlier, on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas Stadium, in a rematch of the 2024 Euro semifinals that will produce the first finalist of this tournament.

Argentina face Switzerland in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, where Lautaro Martinez will begin the match from the bench.

Argentina face Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Kansas City Stadium, and manager Lionel Scaloni opted to leave Lautaro Martinez out of his starting eleven.

This time, Scaloni again chose Julian Alvarez to line up alongside Lionel Messi up front, keeping the same forward pairing that started Argentina’s comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.

The decision is purely tactical rather than fitness-related — Martinez is fully available from a physical standpoint and remains an option to be introduced from the bench if the match calls for it.

Scaloni’s ongoing attacking dilemma

The question up front is something Scaloni has been weighing since the start of the tournament. While Alvarez had been Argentina‘s starting striker in the matches leading up to the World Cup, he arrived at the tournament managing an ankle issue that limited his preparation, keeping him out of the starting lineup for Argentina’s first two group games, against Algeria and Austria.

In his place, Martinez took over the striker role alongside Messi, and the Inter Milan forward started in each of Argentina’s first four matches. However, the forward managed just one goal and one assist before Alvarez took over for the Round of 16 clash against Egypt.

Alvarez brings a different set of qualities to Argentina’s attack, with more pace that allows him to roam across the entire front line, unlike Martinez, who tends to operate through the center.

That’s why, for this match against Switzerland, Scaloni opted to stick with Alvarez’s attributes and keep the same forward line that got the job done against Egypt.

Switzerland face Argentina in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, with a place in the semifinals on the line.

The final quarterfinal of the 2026 World Cup takes place at Kansas City Stadium, where Switzerland and defending champions Argentina meet for a place in the semifinals.

Switzerland head into this match ranked 14th in the FIFA World Rankings, with 1,710.88 points, a position they’ve earned throughout the tournament. Murat Yakin’s men went unbeaten across their four matches so far, opening with a draw against Qatar on Matchday 1 before picking up wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada to close out the group stage.

They then cruised past Algeria 2-0 in the Round of 32, and needed a penalty shootout to see off Colombia in the Round of 16 following a goalless draw.

Standing in their way is an Argentina side ranked 3rd in the world, with 1,925.15 points. Lionel Scaloni’s men topped Group J with a perfect nine points, then survived an extra-time scare against Cape Verde in the Round of 32 before pulling off a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16.

Switzerland chasing history

Beyond the ranking gap, there’s a bigger prize on the line for Switzerland,as a win would send them into the semifinals for the first time since 1954, snapping a 72-year drought at this stage of the tournament.

Argentina and Switzerland’s head-to-head record

History strongly favors Argentina heading into the quarterfinal clash. The two nations have met twice at the World Cup, and Switzerland have never beaten Argentina in either meeting. The first came at the 1966 World Cup in England, where Argentina defeated Switzerland 2-0 at the group stage.

The second came at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Argentina needed until the 118th minute of extra time to break the deadlock, with a strike from Angel Di Maria sending them through to the quarterfinals on their way to the final that year.

England face Norway in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, where Jarell Quansah won't be available for this match.

England face Norway in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, and Jarell Quansah won’t be involved at all for manager Thomas Tuchel — the defender is serving a suspension rather than being left out by choice.

Quansah received a red card in England‘s victory over Mexico in the Round of 16, after a video review determined that he had made a sliding tackle with his cleats leading, which resulted in an automatic two-game suspension.

That suspension rules him out of the quarterfinal clash and would also keep him sidelined for a potential semifinal, should England advance past Norway, where they would clash with the winner of the game between Argentina and Switzerland.

How Tuchel plans to cover the gap at right-back

With Quansah unavailable, Tuchel is shifting Ezri Konsa out to right-back to fill the void left behind. At center-back, John Stones returns to the starting lineup for the first time since England’s tournament opener against Croatia, partnering Marc Guehi, who passed his fitness test this week after battling a hamstring issue.

The reshuffle leaves England’s backline looking notably different from the one that started the win over Mexico, but it’s the closest thing to a like-for-like swap Tuchel has available with Quansah unavailable, while Reece James and Djed Spence are only fit enough for a place among the substitutes.

England’s confirmed lineup

For this crucial game, the German manager has already confirmed the team that will take the field at Miami Stadium in search of a place among the final four teams of the 2026 World Cup.

England’s starting XI: Jordan Pickford; Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham; Noni Madueke, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon.

England face Norway in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, where Bukayo Saka will begin the match from the bench.

England face Norway in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, and manager Thomas Tuchel has once again opted to leave Bukayo Saka out of his starting eleven.

Tuchel is sticking with Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon on the wings, the same pairing that has featured heavily throughout the tournament, with Saka continuing to build up his fitness after arriving in North America still managing an Achilles tendon issue.

The Arsenal winger played through discomfort at the end of the club season to help his team win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final, and Tuchel opted not to risk him from the start in England’s World Cup opener against Croatia either, handing that role to Madueke instead.

Saka has gradually gained rhythm off the bench since, even earning starts in the group-stage match against Panama and during the Round of 16 clash against Mexico, and while he’s now fit enough to play, the German manager has opted to hold him back for this matchup.

England’s other absences for the Norway clash

Saka’s situation isn’t the only selection headache facing Tuchel heading into the quarterfinal. Jarell Quansah is suspended for the match after picking up a red card in the Round of 16 win over Mexico, ruling him out of both the quarterfinal and a potential semifinal.

England will also be without Jordan Henderson, who is out for the remainder of the tournament after breaking his wrist in a freak accident, tripping over an advertising board during the team’s celebrations following the win over Mexico. The midfielder underwent surgery on the injury shortly after.

For this match, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and Reece James were also in doubt with various fitness issues, though the first two will start, while James is available off the bench.

Norway face England in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, with a place in the semifinals on the line.

The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals continue at Miami Stadium, where Norway take on England in a matchup that pits one of the tournament’s biggest overachievers against one of its most consistent heavyweights.

Norway entered the tournament ranked just 31st in the FIFA World Rankings, but their run through the knockout rounds has pushed their live position up to 19th, with 1,651.29 points ahead of the quarterfinal clash.

After getting through Group I — one of the toughest in the draw alongside France and Senegal — Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in the Round of 32 before producing the biggest result of their tournament, eliminating Brazil in the Round of 16 behind a brace from Erling Haaland.

England, meanwhile, sit comfortably inside the top five at 4th in the world, with 1,871.39 points, trailing Argentina, Spain and France among the teams still alive in the tournament.

Thomas Tuchel’s men won Group L without much difficulty, ground out a 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo in the Round of 32 thanks to a Harry Kane brace, and followed it up with a 3-2 win over Mexico at Estadio Azteca to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals.

Norway and England’s head-to-head record

Despite their long shared soccer history, Norway and England have never met at a World Cup before, making Saturday’s quarterfinal a first in the competition’s history. Across their 12 previous meetings — all friendlies or qualifiers — England hold a clear edge with seven wins, two losses, and three draws.

The Three Lions won the first five encounters comfortably, including a 6-0 rout in their first-ever meeting back in 1937, though Norway has pulled off a couple of famous upsets along the way, most notably a 2-1 win in Oslo in 1981. The two sides last met in a 2014 friendly, which England won 1-0 on a Wayne Rooney penalty.

England face Norway in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, and the availability of Declan Rice, along with Marc Guehi and Reece James, remains unconfirmed due to fitness concerns.

England face some uncertainty over their fitness heading into Saturday’s 2026 World Cup quarterfinal against Norway, with head coach Thomas Tuchel monitoring the status of three key players in the days before kickoff.

According to Daily Mail, Declan Rice missed a second consecutive training session this week due to a sickness bug, which has aggravated an existing neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back. The Arsenal midfielder has been managing the problem throughout the tournament, and the illness has only added to the concern within the camp.

Marc Guehi is the other major doubt, having picked up a hamstring strain during England’s 3-2 win over Mexico in the Round of 16. What was initially described as fatigue was later confirmed as a strain, though the Manchester City defender remains hopeful of training Friday and being available for Norway.

There is better news on Reece James, who returned to full training on Thursday for the first time since picking up an injury in the group stage win over Ghana.

His recovery is a significant boost given England’s already thin options at right-back — Jarell Quansah is serving a two-match suspension after his red card against Mexico, leaving Djed Spence as the only fit natural option at the position if James isn’t ready.

The only match Rice didn’t start this tournament

Rice has been a fixture in England‘s midfield throughout the World Cup, with the exception of one match: the Group L clash against Panama. He was left out of the starting eleven after picking up a minor knock in the previous game against Ghana, with the FA describing the calf strapping he wore leaving that match as a precautionary measure rather than a sign of a serious injury.

With qualification already in reach, Tuchel opted not to risk Rice from the start, instead deploying a more attacking double pivot of Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham. Rice was introduced off the bench to manage his fitness ahead of the knockout rounds, and has started every match since.

Norway also dealing with fitness issues of their own

England aren’t the only side managing a rocky injury report. Norway head coach Stale Solbakken confirmed that several players had been battling illness in the buildup to the quarterfinal.

Striker Jorgen Strand Larsen missed Norway’s tournament opener with a bug before recovering, while defender Marcus Holmgren Pedersen sat out the win over Brazil with a similar illness and has continued to deal with a lingering cough and fatigue.

Left-back David Moller Wolfe was forced off in stoppage time against Brazil with what appeared to be an injury, and his status for the match against England remains unclear. Howeve, Norway team doctor Ola Sand has since downplayed the concerns, stating that all players are healthy heading into the quarterfinal.

Lamine Yamal addressed Spain's upcoming clash against France, with a place in the 2026 World Cup final on the line.

Spain booked their spot in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 win over Belgium, setting up a mouthwatering clash against France on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas Stadium.

Ahead of the match, Lamine Yamal made clear just how much he’s been looking forward to this exact matchup. “Really excited. When the World Cup started, we were all expecting this match. I think we’re the two best teams in the tournament,” Yamal said after the win over Belgium.

The Barcelona winger also previewed how Spain plans to approach the game tactically, expecting France to come out aggressively before settling into their own rhythm. “I expect a team that comes at us, but not for the whole match. We’ll play the way we know how,” he added.

Yamal didn’t stop there, sending a pointed message about which side should be more concerned heading into the semifinal. “I think that if France has to fear anyone, it’s us, as we’re the ones who have knocked them out before,” he said.

Yamal leans on Spain’s 2024 Euro semifinal triumph

The comment is a direct reference to the 2024 Euro semifinal, where Spain eliminated France 2-1 in Munich, with a 16-year-old Yamal scoring a stunning long-range goal before Dani Olmo added the winner.

Spain went on to win that tournament, and now, with both nations meeting again on the World Cup’s biggest stage, Yamal made it clear he sees history as being on Spain’s side.

Yamal and Mbappe’s numbers heading into the semifinal

The individual battle between the two biggest stars adds another layer to the matchup. Kylian Mbappe arrives as the tournament’s outright top scorer, with 8 goals and 3 assists through France’s five matches, sitting atop the Golden Boot race (alongside Lionel Messi).

Yamal, by contrast, has just 1 goal and no assists in 6 appearances for Spain, though the underlying numbers tell a different story — he leads the entire tournament in chances created with 17, and has racked up nine shots across his last two matches alone, suggesting a breakthrough could be close even if the finishing hasn’t clicked yet.

Thibaut Courtois left the field in tears during Belgium's clash against Spain in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals after suffering an injury.

Thibaut Courtois was forced off in tears during Belgium’s 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash against Spain at Los Angeles Stadium, with the match level at 1-1 thanks to goals from Fabian Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper had kept Belgium in the contest with five saves before going down with an apparent leg injury in the 69th minute, during a hydration break. He initially appeared to be fine to continue, but Belgium ultimately opted to substitute him, bringing on Senne Lammens in his place.

Courtois was visibly emotional as he walked off, wiping away tears while being embraced by his teammates. Despite representing Belgium, Spanish fans in the stands gave him a warm ovation as he left the pitch, a reflection of the status he holds in Madrid after years as one of Real Madrid’s most decorated players.

At 34 years old, this North American tournament is likely to be Courtois‘ last World Cup, a possibility that may explain why he left the field in tears at such a crucial moment of the match.

Lammens and a shaky response on Spain’s second goal

Courtois’ absence proved to be a heavy blow for Belgium, who were made to pay on Spain’s second goal, where Lammens played a part in failing to produce a strong enough save.

Just before stoppage time, Pau Cubarsi unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box, and Lammens got a hand to it, but could only parry a short rebound back into the danger area.

Mikel Merino pounced on that rebound, once again playing the hero just as he did in the Round of 16 against Portugal, where he scored the winning goal in the final minutes shortly after coming off the bench.

Belgium face Spain in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, where Romelu Lukaku will begin the match on the bench.

Belgium face Spain in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium, and manager Rudi Garcia is once again leaving Romelu Lukaku out of his starting lineup.

Garcia continues to trust Charles De Ketelaere as a false nine up front, the same setup that has anchored Belgium’s attack since the group stage, with Lukaku kept in reserve as an option off the bench.

Part of the decision to use Lukaku as a sub stems from his injury-plagued season leading up to the World Cup. The striker was injured during the preseason with Napoli and was limited to just 64 minutes of action across seven appearances.

That lack of sharpness put his World Cup spot in real doubt heading into the tournament, but Rudi Garcia ultimately trusted the veteran forward, naming him to the final roster in North America.

Lukaku’s impact as a substitute

That role suits Lukaku just fine — he’s been most effective for Belgium precisely as a substitute this tournament, forcing an own goal in the opening draw with Egypt and scoring against New Zealand in the group finale.

The one time Garcia did hand him a start during the group stage, against Iran, the striker struggled to get into the game, failing to register a shot before picking up a yellow card and being hauled off in the 73rd minute.

Lukaku’s role coming off the bench paid off again in the Round of 32 against Senegal. Coming on at halftime with Belgium trailing 2-0, he scored in the 86th minute to spark a late comeback that forced extra time, where Belgium eventually secured the win. Additionally, the striker scored off the bench once again to seal a 4-1 victory over the USMNT in the Round of 16.

Spain face Belgium in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, where Mikel Merino will begin the match on the bench.

Spain face Belgium in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Los Angeles Stadium, and manager Luis de la Fuente has opted to keep Mikel Merino out of his starting eleven for the occasion.

De la Fuente is set to send out Rodri and Fabian Ruiz in central midfield, behind an attacking line of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Alex Baena, supporting Mikel Oyarzabal up top.

That setup leaves no room in the XI for Merino, who has spent the majority of this tournament coming off the bench rather than starting, with the exception of Spain‘s third group-stage match against Uruguay.

The decision is purely tactical rather than any reflection of Merino’s form, which has been outstanding in limited minutes. De la Fuente has simply preferred to stick with the same core group that has carried Spain through the knockout rounds, using Merino as an impact option late in matches rather than disrupting the starting shape.

Merino’s five-minute heroics against Portugal

Merino’s role off the bench has already produced one of the biggest moments of Spain’s tournament. Brought on late in the Round of 16 clash against Portugal, the Arsenal midfielder needed only around five minutes on the pitch to make his mark.

At first, he won a quick free-kick that kickstarted the winning move before being played through by fellow substitute Ferran Torres and slotting home in stoppage time to seal a 1-0 win, eliminating Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal from the tournament.

Spain and Belgium face off in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, with a place in the semifinals on the line.

The 2026 World Cup quarterfinals continue at Los Angeles Stadium, where Spain and Belgium clash in a crucial match as both look to book their place among the tournament’s final four teams.

Spain stumbled into the tournament with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, but have looked sharper with every match since, cruising to the top of Group H before thrashing Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 and edging out Portugal 1-0 in the Round of 16 on a late Mikel Merino strike.

Much of the attention heading into Friday’s match falls on Lamine Yamal. The young forward has managed just a single goal through five appearances this tournament and will start today alongside Mikel Oyarzabal, who is leading the squad with four goals.

Belgium, meanwhile, needed a dramatic turnaround to reach this stage, coming from behind to beat Senegal in extra time after topping Group G, before putting together their most complete performance of the tournament in a 4-1 rout of the USMNT to reach the quarterfinals.

Spain’s confirmed lineup

Luis de la Fuente will make only one change to the lineup that eliminated Portugal, opting to use midfielder Fabian Ruiz from the start, leaving Pedri on the substitutes’ bench.

Spain’s confirmed starting XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri,Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Mikel Oyarzabal.

Belgium’s confirmed lineup

Rudi Garcia will lean once again on Belgium’s veteran core, with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield with a front line built for pace and directness.

Belgium’s confirmed starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Timothy Castagne, Brandon Mechele, Nathan Ngoy, Maxim De Cuyper; Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.

Belgium face Spain in a crucial 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash, with a place in the semifinals on the line.

The quarterfinal stage of the 2026 World Cup continues in Los Angeles, where Belgium take on Spain in a clash between two of Europe’s most experienced World Cup campaigners, with a semifinal berth on the line.

Belgium sit 8th in the latest FIFA World Ranking, with 1,778.36 points, a total that fluctuated throughout the group stage. Rudi Garcia’s men dropped points after drawing both Egypt (1-1) and Iran (1-1), before bouncing back with a 5-1 win over New Zealand that was enough to top Group G.

That inconsistency carried into the knockout rounds too, where Belgium needed a dramatic turnaround to see off Senegal 3-2 after extra time in the Round of 32, rallying from two goals down. They looked far sharper in the Round of 16, cruising past the USMNT 4-1 to punch their ticket to the last eight.

Standing across from them is a Spain side ranked 3rd in the world with 1,912.34 points, sitting just behind Argentina and newly crowned No. 1 France. Luis de la Fuente’s men have been the most defensively airtight team left in the tournament, having not conceded a single goal through their first four matches, a run that included a 1-0 win over Portugal in the Round of 16.

Belgium eyeing a shot at their best-ever World Cup finish

A place in the semifinals would put Belgium within reach of matching, and potentially surpassing, their best-ever World Cup result. The Red Devils finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, part of Belgium’s so-called golden generation led by Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, who beat England in the third-place playoff.

Nearly a decade later, with De Bruyne still on the team alongside a new generation of players like Youri Tielemans, Jeremy Doku, and Leandro Trossard, Belgium find themselves close to achieving a new historic mark at the World Cup.

Only a select group of coaches have ever lifted the FIFA World Cup — see every manager who's won it, from Alberto Suppici in 1930 to Lionel Scaloni in 2022.

Winning a FIFA World Cup doesn’t just cement a place in history for the players — it does the same for the manager standing on the touchline. Across nearly a century of the tournament, only a select group of coaches have managed to lift the sport’s biggest prize.

The list begins in 1930, when Uruguay’s Alberto Suppici guided the hosts to the inaugural title at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Since then, the trophy has been passed between coaches from Europe and South America, mirroring the same two continents that have produced every World Cup-winning nation.

A handful of names appear more than once on the list. Vittorio Pozzo remains the only manager to win back-to-back titles in World Cup history, leading Italy to glory in both 1934 and 1938.

Mario Zagallo also holds a unique distinction, having won the World Cup as a player with Brazil in 1958 and 1962 before doing it again as head coach in 1970. Didier Deschamps matched that same feat with France, winning the title as captain in 1998 before leading Les Bleus to the title again as head coach in 2018.

More recently, Lionel Scaloni joined this list of champions, guiding Argentina to their third star in 2022 behind the brilliance of Lionel Messi, in what remains the most recent World Cup title before the current 2026 tournament.

Complete list of World Cup winning coaches

Year	Champion	Winning coach
1930	Uruguay	Alberto Supicci
1934	Italy	Vittorio Pozzo
1938	Italy	Vittorio Pozzo
1950	Uruguay	Juan Lopez Fontana
1954	West Germany	Sepp Herberger
1958	Brazil	Vicente Feola
1962	Brazil	Aymore Moreira
1966	England	Alf Ramsey
1970	Brazil	Mario Zagallo
1974	West Germany	Helmut Schon
1978	Argentina	Cesar Luis Menotti
1982	Italy	Enzo Bearzot
1986	Argentina	Carlos Bilardo
1990	West Germany	Franz Beckenbauer
1994	Brazil	Carlos Alberto Parreira
1998	France	Aime Jacquet
2002	Brazil	Luiz Felipe Scolari
2006	Italy	Marcello Lippi
2010	Germany	Joachim Low
2014	Spain	Vicente del Bosque
2018	France	Didier Deschamps
2022	Argentina	Lionel Scaloni

Christian Pulisic posted a message on social media following the USMNT's elimination against Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Christian Pulisic took to Instagram to address the USMNT’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, sending a heartfelt message to fans days after the team’s 4-1 Round of 16 loss to Belgium.

The forward began by thanking supporters, while also acknowledging that the tournament’s ending wasn’t good enough on his part. “Tough to find the words. I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who believed. The support carried us all the way through. It simply wasn’t good enough from us in the end and I wanted to deliver so much more,” Pulisic began.

The AC Milan forward closed his message by noting that this is only the beginning of growth for this team and for the sport in the country. “I still feel blessed to be a part of this team. The memories this summer will last a lifetime. It’s just the start for us and for this sport in America,” Pulisic wrote.

While the USMNT were thrashed by Belgium in the Round of 16, the team came within one match of matching their best-ever finish, when they reached the quarterfinals at the 2002 edition in South Korea-Japan before falling to Germany.

Pulisic faces intense criticism

Despite the heartfelt message to fans, Pulisic is facing the harshest criticism of anyone right now. The forward was forced off in the 59th minute of the loss to Belgium after twisting his ankle, but what upset fans was what he said after the match.

“It’s just frustrating to end like that, of course. But now I have time to rest. I feel it’ll be OK,” Pulisic said on Fox, referring to his recovery. The 27-year-old was criticized by Landon Donovan, along with former U.S. women’s national team players Carli Lloyd and Sydney Leroux.

“He rested the entire World Cup,” Leroux wrote on her X (formerly Twitter) account, while Lloyd also piled on, writing, “You rest when your playing career is over. Period.”

Following the USMNT's elimination from the 2026 World Cup, legend Landon Donovan criticized Christian Pulisic.

The USMNT’s World Cup dreams ended in ugly fashion, falling 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16. A day after the loss, Landon Donovan didn’t hold back on Fox Sports, speaking with his former teammate Tim Howard about Christian Pulisic’s tournament.

While Donovan tried to be careful when discussing Pulisic, who was heavily criticized on social media, the USMNT legend noted that the AC Milan forward’s tournament was simply disappointing.

“In the end, he’s your best player, he’s your star player, and it just didn’t happen for him,” Donovan told Howard. “I want to be careful because I’m sure people are piling on him, a lot of it he deserves, of course. That’s part and parcel with this role. It’s just disappointing. I was waiting for a moment for him… and it just didn’t happen“.

Donovan went further, pointing to a pattern he believes has become undeniable — when the team needs its best player to show up in crucial moments against top opposition, Pulisic simply hasn’t answered the call.

“I’m starting to look back, Tim — it’s more than just a trend now,” Donovan added. “Like, when the games are easy, and it’s a home qualifier, and it’s Jamaica, yes. But in the big moments and the big games, he just hasn’t — I’m not criticizing, I’m just saying it factually. He is who he is at this point”.

Donovan on how he would’ve handled Pulisic’s injury

Donovan also addressed reports that Pulisic asked to be substituted off after suffering an ankle injury, saying he couldn’t confirm the claim but making clear how he’d have handled it himself.

“He came out of a World Cup knockout game at home, with his leg still intact. Because you would have had to f— drag me off the field. And I would have punched the doctor in the face and said, ‘You’re not taking me off the field. Put whatever you need to put in me, and I’m staying on the field,'” Donovan said.

Pulisic was forced off in the 59th minute of the loss to Belgium after twisting his ankle in a challenge with Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot on the edge of the box.

Ahead of the World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina, Switzerland coach Murat Yakin addressed the vulnerability of Lionel Scaloni's team.

Argentina‘s dramatic win over Egypt is already in the rearview mirror, and now the focus shifts to Switzerland, who eliminated Colombia on penalties to book their place in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals.

After getting through the shootout, Switzerland‘s head coach Murat Yakin didn’t hold back in assessing their next opponent, acknowledging both the danger and the vulnerability of the world champions.

“We’re playing against the world champion. There’s nothing better than having this opportunity. But it’s also been clear, over the last two matches, that Argentina is vulnerable,” Yakin said during his press conference.

“I think we’ve earned that respect, and we’ve worked for it. It’s going to be an interesting tactical match. We can challenge the world champion. For a nation like Switzerland, there’s nothing better than playing a World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina. So the anticipation is huge. I think I still need a couple hours, or a day, to process it,” he added.

Argentina’s last two knockout matches back up Yakin’s claim. Cape Verde pushed the world champions to extra time in the Round of 32 before falling 3-2, and Egypt had them on the ropes in the Round of 16, leading 2-0 with just ten minutes to go before Scaloni’s side produced a frantic comeback to win 3-2.

Djibril Sow recalls beating France in 2020

Midfielder Djibril Sow echoed his coach’s confidence, pointing back to one of Switzerland’s biggest results in recent memory as proof they can compete with soccer royalty.

“For us, this is a very special match. It’s the first time we get to play a quarterfinal against a team that, for me, is one of the favorites to win the Cup. I think it’s going to be very difficult, but I see chances to win. We’re capable of beating great teams, like we’ve done in recent years, like France in 2020,” Sow told reporters after defeating Colombia.

Sow’s reference points to Switzerland’s stunning upset of France at Euro 2020 (played in 2021), when the Swiss came back from 3-1 down in the Round of 16 to force penalties against the reigning world champions — eventually winning the shootout in one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history.

Argentina vs Switzerland head-to-head World Cup record

History strongly favors Argentina heading into Saturday’s match. The two nations have met twice at the World Cup, and Switzerland have never beaten Argentina in either meeting.

The first came at the 1966 World Cup in England, a 2-0 Argentina win in the group stage. The second came at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Argentina needed until the 118th minute of extra time to break the deadlock, with Angel Di Maria’s strike sending La Albiceleste through to the quarterfinals on their way to the final.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal matches, Achraf Hakimi, Jude Bellingham, and Michael Olise are among the players at risk of suspension due to yellow card accumulation.

With the quarterfinal bracket now set, 17 players across the eight remaining teams are one yellow card away from missing a potential semifinal appearance at the 2026 World Cup.

England and Morocco lead the list with four players apiece in danger of suspension, while Switzerland follow with three players and France round out the podium with two.

The risk comes down to how FIFA’s disciplinary rules stack across the knockout rounds. Any player booked in two of the three matches spanning the Round of 32, Round of 16, and quarterfinals will be automatically suspended for the semifinals, should their team advance that far.

Yellow cards reset twice during the tournament: once after the group stage, and again after the quarterfinals. That means no player can be suspended for the final over card accumulation — the only way to miss that match is with a red card.

The biggest names on the list

Among the players on the edge of missing a potential semifinal, a handful of genuine stars will need to be extra careful in their matches. Achraf Hakimi is one of those at risk, facing France in the quarterfinals, where Michael Olise finds himself in the same boat.

For England, things get trickier still — in their quarterfinal against Norway, star man Jude Bellingham joins Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice, and Marc Guehi on the brink of suspension.

The 17 players at risk of missing the World Cup semifinals

• Morocco: Issa Diop, Achraf Hakimi, Redouane Khalhal, Bilal El Khannouss.
• France: Manu Kone, Michael Olise.
• Spain: Ferran Torres.
• Belgium: Brandon Mechele.
• Argentina: Gonzalo Montiel.
• Switzerland: Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria, Miro Muheim.
• England: Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi.
• Norway: Antonio Nusa.

After Argentina's big comeback to win the match 3-2, the Egyptian Football Association reportedly filed a formal complaint with FIFA questioning the officiating.

Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abo Rida has reportedly filed an official complaint to FIFA against French referee François Letexier and his assistants, following Egypt’s 3-2 Round of 16 elimination against Argentina.

The complaint stems from a string of contentious officiating decisions throughout the match, which the Egyptian federation believes went against them at key moments.

Among the grievances, Egypt points to their second goal being disallowed after a VAR review flagged a foul on Lisandro Martinez in the buildup, wiping out what would have made it 2-0. The federation’s complaint also references a penalty claim for a foul on Mohamed Salah, moments before Enzo Fernandez’s header put Argentina up 3-2.

After Argentina‘s third goal completed an impressive 10-minute comeback, Egypt’s bench erupted at the referee, who showed a yellow card to head coach Hossam Hassan and sent off one of his staff members.

Egypt coach sounds off after elimination

Head coach Hossam Hassan was similarly critical in his post-match comments, directing his frustration squarely at the officiating rather than the result itself. “I’m going to say what I think regardless of the consequences, because I don’t care anymore. Clearly, the match was fixed, and everyone saw it,” Hassan said.

“And I want to say something else — if they wanted Argentina to win so badly, why bother inviting everyone to compete? We were the better team on the day, but soccer is unfair. We had a penalty claim, and the referee disallowed our third goal, and I don’t know why,” he added.

Hassan was also shown crossing his arms multiple times during the match while protesting Letexier’s decisions — a gesture that resembles FIFA’s anti-racism protocol signal, sparking confusion on social media.

Egyptian players and staff were seen trying to get him to stop mid-protest, and Letexier ultimately did not treat it as an anti-racism complaint.

After 27 straight days of action at the 2026 World Cup, there will be no matches on Wednesday, July 8.

For nearly a month, the 2026 World Cup has been a daily habit for fans, with a match to follow every single day since the tournament’s opening in Mexico City. That uninterrupted run of soccer has now hit its first real gap.

After 27 consecutive days of action, Wednesday, July 8 has no World Cup matches scheduled. Checking the day’s slate turns up nothing from the tournament, catching plenty of fans off guard after weeks of nonstop games.

The pause comes down to the gap between the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals. With the Round of 16 now finished, the competition needs a breather before the next stage begins.

Between the group stage and the Round of 32, and between the Round of 32 and the Round of 16, no rest day was needed since each round had enough teams and games spread out to give every nation sufficient recovery time.

Now, with just eight teams left in the tournament, there isn’t enough game volume to fill a daily schedule without at least one pause — hence Wednesday’s empty slate.

When and where are the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals?

Action resumes Thursday, July 9, with the quarterfinals playing out one match per day to stretch the calendar enough for the final to be held on July 19:

• Thursday, July 9: France vs Morocco — Boston Stadium
• Friday, July 10: Spain vs Belgium — Los Angeles Stadium
• Saturday, July 11: Norway vs England — Miami Stadium
• Saturday, July 11: Argentina vs Switzerland — Kansas City Stadium

The Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup has come to an end, and the eight remaining teams now know their quarterfinal opponents.

The Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup has wrapped up, and the path to the title has narrowed to just eight teams. After a stretch of knockout drama across venues in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the quarterfinal bracket is now set, with every remaining team’s next opponent, date, and venue locked in.

The round produced no shortage of upsets. Norway ended Brazil’s run behind a brace from Erling Haaland, while Morocco knocked out tournament co-host Canada to continue their historic run.

England needed a 3-2 win over host nation Mexico to advance, and Argentina produced the biggest twist of the round, coming back from 2-0 down in the final ten minutes to beat Egypt 3-2 and book their spot in the last eight.

On the other side of the bracket, the results were more straightforward. France eased past Paraguay, Spain edged out Portugal 1-0, and Belgium got the better of the USA with a commanding 4-1 win. Switzerland rounded out the bracket with a penalty shootout win over Colombia to close out the round.

🚨OFFICIAL: This is how the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals are set pic.twitter.com/nivijGDH2Q

— Bolavip US (@bolavipus) July 7, 2026

2026 World Cup quarterfinals schedule

With every Round of 16 tie decided, here is the complete schedule for the quarterfinals, running from July 9 to July 11, with one match per day — except Saturday, which will have two — to stretch the calendar toward the July 19 final.

Thursday, July 9

• France vs Morocco — Boston Stadium

Friday, July 10

• Spain vs Belgium — Los Angeles Stadium

Saturday, July 11

• Norway vs England — Miami Stadium
• Argentina vs Switzerland — Kansas City Stadium

Argentina pulled off an impressive 3-2 comeback win over Egypt late in the match, and Lionel Messi spoke about his team's big performance in earning a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.

Lionel Messi’s Argentina looked out of the 2026 World Cup for long stretches, trailing Egypt 2-0 with ten minutes to go before an incredible late rally sealed a 3-2 comeback win, to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

Cristian Romero pulled one back, Messi leveled it at 2-2 with a goal that also matched Guillermo Stabile’s 96-year-old Argentina record of eight goals in a single World Cup, and Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround in stoppage time to send Argentina through to the quarterfinals.

Speaking with TyC Sports after the match, Messi reflected on the difficulty of the comeback and the character of the squad. “I’m happy we made it through and with the way we did it. We knew it was going to be tough. We suffered again, but this is the World Cup. Every game is like this because everything is so evenly matched. It isn’t easy to come back from 2-0 down, but as I always say, this team never gives up. We keep fighting until the very end,” Messi said.

“We were fortunate to get Cuti’s goal early in the second half. There was still plenty of time, and we managed to turn it around before the final whistle. What this team did in this knockout match is unbelievable. I’m very happy that our fans can keep enjoying this journey and what we’re doing. Hopefully we can keep going,” he added.

Messi reaches World Cup records in Argentina’s comeback

Trailing 2-0 with just minutes to play, Argentina turned the match around in a hurry: Cristian Romero pulled one back before Messi leveled it at 2-2 within five minutes, erasing the two-goal deficit in the process.

With that sequence, Messi became only the third player in World Cup history to be directly involved in two goals scored five minutes or less apart to wipe out a two-goal deficit in a knockout match, joining Abdelrahman Fawzi (1934) and Kylian Mbappe (2022 final vs. Argentina) on that short list.

The equalizer carried extra historical weight of its own. It marked the first time any player has scored in six consecutive World Cup knockout matches: vs. Australia (2022), vs. Netherlands (2022), vs. Croatia (2022), vs. France (2022 final), vs. Cape Verde (2026), and now vs. Egypt (2026). The previous record of five straight had stood since it was shared by Leonidas, Gyorgy Sarosi, and Vava.