2026 World Cup quarterfinals: France vs. Morocco, Argentina faces Switzerland

The 2026 World Cup enters its thrilling quarterfinal stage, with France and Morocco kicking off the round in a match steeped in historical and geopolitical rivalry. This edition of the tournament is historic, being the first to feature an expanded field of 48 teams, stretching over five weeks.

Argentina, the current champions, carries the weight of South America as the continent's sole remaining representative. They are set to face Switzerland in their quarterfinal clash. The path to the final is demanding, with winners of the quarterfinals advancing to the semifinals, guaranteeing them eight matches in total. The ultimate goal for most teams is to compete for the title on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, or for third place the day before in Miami.

Other notable quarterfinals include Spain against Belgium, and Norway, fresh off a major upset, taking on England. The matchups reflect a strong European presence, with six teams from the continent in contention, alongside Morocco representing Africa and Argentina from South America.

Recent results saw Morocco defeat co-host Canada 3-0, while France edged out Paraguay 1-0 via a Kylian Mbappé penalty. Spain advanced by beating Portugal 1-0, setting up their encounter with Belgium, who dominated the United States 4-1. In a significant upset, Norway's Erling Haaland scored twice to overcome Brazil 2-1, while England secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico. Argentina's own hard-fought win came against Egypt, a comeback 3-2 victory sealed in stoppage time by Enzo Fernández.