The quarter-final lineup for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America has been finalised. The final eight teams were confirmed after Wednesday morning’s Round of 16 match between Switzerland and Colombia. The quarter-final matchups have also been determined.
Europe dominates the last eight with six teams, while South America and Africa each have one representative. Five-time world champions Brazil, along with all three co-hosts—the United States, Mexico, and Canada—were eliminated in the Round of 16. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal also bowed out at the same stage.
Defending champions Argentina, along with former champions France, Spain, and England, have all advanced to the quarter-finals. Following a one-day break, the tournament will resume with the quarter-final matches.
Thrilling Round of 16
The Round of 16 of the 23rd FIFA World Cup featured dramatic, highly competitive encounters. Defending champions Argentina staged a late comeback, while record five-time champions Brazil suffered a shock exit. Dark horses Norway and Morocco continued their historic runs, and neighbouring Spain knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Morocco opened the Round of 16 with a commanding 3–0 victory over co-host Canada, becoming the first African nation to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in consecutive tournaments. Four years earlier, Morocco had made history by reaching the semi-finals.
Canada, which had enjoyed a historic run to the knockout stage on home soil, saw its campaign end in the Round of 16. In another match, runners-up France defeated giant-killers Paraguay 1–0, thanks to a penalty from Kylian Mbappe. Norway secured a historic first-ever World Cup quarter-final berth after Erling Haaland scored twice late in the match to inspire a 2–1 comeback victory over Brazil. Brazil, meanwhile, failed to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in 36 years.
England booked their place in the last eight with a thrilling 3–2 win over co-host Mexico, despite playing with ten men for part of the match. Spain edged neighbouring Portugal 1–0, with Mikel Merino scoring the winner in injury time. The elimination of host nations continued as the United States suffered a 4–1 defeat to Belgium. After struggling through the group stage, Belgium has found impressive form in the knockout rounds.
Argentina’s title defence has also been anything but straightforward. After defeating tournament debutants Cape Verde 3–2 in extra time in the Round of 32, Argentina came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3–2 in the Round of 16.
In the final Round of 16 match, Switzerland defeated Colombia 4–3 on penalties after a goalless draw in both regular and extra time.
Quarter-final fixtures
The opening quarter-final will see runners-up France face Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists. The two sides also met in the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago, where France won 2–0 to reach a second consecutive final. This match serves as a highly anticipated rematch.
Former world champions Spain will meet fellow European side Belgium in the second quarter-final. Spain has reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years, while Belgium returns to the last eight after an eight-year absence. Spain, champions in 2010, is playing in the quarter-finals for the first time since lifting the trophy in South Africa. Belgium finished fourth in 2018 before exiting in the group stage in 2022.
Tournament surprise package Norway, making its first-ever quarter-final appearance, will take on England, the 1966 World Cup champions. Norway has returned to the World Cup after a 28-year absence and reached the last eight by defeating Brazil. England, meanwhile, has not reached another World Cup final since winning the title in 1966.
Defending champions Argentina will face Switzerland in the final quarter-final. Appearing in their 19th World Cup, Argentina has reached the final six times and won three titles. They are aiming to become the first nation in 64 years to successfully defend the World Cup trophy. Switzerland, meanwhile, has reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years.
Golden Boot race intensifies
Alongside the battle for a place in the semi-finals, the race for the Golden Boot is becoming increasingly competitive. Lionel Messi currently leads the scoring charts with eight goals. France captain Kylian Mbappé and Norway striker Erling Haaland are close behind with seven goals each, while Mbappé has also provided two assists.
Messi has scored in all five of Argentina’s matches so far, while Haaland has found the net in every game he has played. England captain Harry Kane remains firmly in contention with six goals.
With Haaland’s Norway set to face Kane’s England in the quarter-finals, the Golden Boot race is expected to become even more intriguing. One of the two strikers will inevitably see his campaign end, while the other will continue to chase the tournament’s top scorer award.
As the competition progresses through the semi-finals and final, the number of Golden Boot contenders will narrow further. For now, however, the race remains wide open. France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, both on four goals, also remain in contention.
