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World Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals Preview: Kane vs Haaland, Messi’s Argentina & More
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its quarter-final stage, and what a tournament it has been so far. After an exhilarating round of 16 that saw defending champions Argentina pull off a miraculous comeback, the USA eliminated as co-hosts, and Brazil dumped out by Erling Haaland’s Norway, just eight teams remain in the hunt for football’s greatest prize.
Round of 16 Recap: Drama & Upsets Galore
The last 16 served up some unforgettable moments. Here’s how the quarter-final field was set:
| Match | Score | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina vs Egypt | 3-2 | Messi missed a penalty, then scored. Enzo Fernandez 90+2′ winner. Egypt furious over denied penalty. |
| Switzerland vs Colombia | 0-0 (pens) | Switzerland advance on penalties to reach first QF since 1954. |
| Belgium vs USA | 4-1 | Lukaku scores from the bench. USA exit amid Balogun red card controversy. |
| Spain vs Portugal | 1-0 | Mikel Merino late winner. Ronaldo’s final World Cup ends in tears. |
| Norway vs Brazil | 2-1 | Haaland scores twice. Five-time champions Brazil knocked out in stunning upset. |
| England vs Mexico | 3-2 | Thriller in Miami. Kane penalty proves decisive. Bellingham masterclass. |
| France vs Paraguay | 1-0 | France grind past Paraguay to set up Morocco clash. |
| Morocco vs Canada | — | Morocco continue dream run, eliminate co-hosts Canada. |
Quarter-Final Matchups: What to Watch
🇫🇷 France vs Morocco 🇲🇦 — Thursday, July 9 — Atlanta Stadium
A rematch of the 2022 semi-final, but with a very different cast. Only three of France’s 2022 starters featured against Paraguay. Kylian Mbappe leads the Golden Boot race alongside Messi with 8 goals. Morocco are unbeaten in 34 matches but have never beaten France. The Africa Cup of Nations champions play with swagger and will be France’s sternest test yet.
🇪🇸 Spain vs Belgium 🇧🇪 — Friday, July 10 — Los Angeles Stadium
Spain’s impenetrable defense (0 goals conceded, 6 straight clean sheets — a World Cup record) meets Belgium’s free-scoring attack (13 goals in 3 games). Romelu Lukaku has 3 goals off the bench. Spain are unbeaten against Belgium in 11 appearances, but history says Belgium won on penalties in 1986. Something has to give.
🇳🇴 Norway vs England 🏴 — Saturday, July 11 — Miami Stadium
The match everyone is talking about. Erling Haaland (7 goals in 4 games, 62 in 54 internationals) vs Harry Kane (14 World Cup goals — England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer). Kane scored 73 goals for club and country in 2025-26. Norway have never reached a major semi-final. England have only won 3 of their 11 World Cup quarter-finals. Winner takes on Spain or Belgium in the semis.
🇦🇷 Argentina vs Switzerland 🇨🇭 — Sunday, July 12 — Kansas City Stadium
Argentina keep finding a way. After extra time against Cape Verde and the latest comeback in World Cup history against Egypt (2-0 down with 11 minutes to go), the reigning champions are battle-hardened. Messi now has 8 goals and became the first player to score in 6 consecutive knockout matches. Switzerland are in their first QF since 1954 and have an exciting young star in Johan Mazambi.
Golden Boot Race (Top 5)
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 |
| Kylian Mbappe | France | 8 |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | 7 |
| Harry Kane | England | 6 |
| Mo Salah | Egypt | 5 |
Looking Ahead
The quarter-finals kick off Thursday night in Atlanta and run through Sunday. With six European sides in the last eight alongside Argentina and Morocco, Europe’s dominance at this World Cup is clear. But Argentina remain the team to beat — can Messi lead them to back-to-back titles, or will Haaland, Kane, or Mbappe have the final say?
Upcoming Quarter-Final Schedule
- Thu, Jul 9 — France vs Morocco (Atlanta) — 4:00 PM ET
- Fri, Jul 10 — Spain vs Belgium (Los Angeles) — 3:00 PM ET
- Sat, Jul 11 — Norway vs England (Miami) — 5:00 PM ET
- Sun, Jul 12 — Argentina vs Switzerland (Kansas City) — 9:00 PM ET
Semi-finals follow on July 15-16, with the Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
Which quarter-final are you most excited for? Drop your prediction below! 👇