2026 World Cup Quarterfinals: All you need to know
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineThe quarter-final line-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been confirmed, with eight nations remaining in the race for football’s biggest prize after an eventful Round of 16.
The four quarter-final matches will be played between Thursday, July 9 and Sunday, July 12, 2026 across four venues in the United States.
The last-eight action begins on Thursday when France takes on Morocco at Boston Stadium before Spain face Belgium in Los Angeles a day later.
Norway will meet England in Miami on Saturday, while defending champions Argentina conclude the quarter-finals against Switzerland in Kansas City.
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The fixtures are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, July 9: France vs Morocco (9 p.m. WAT)
Friday, July 10: Spain vs Belgium (8 p.m. WAT)
Saturday, July 11: Norway vs England (10 p.m. WAT)
Sunday, July 12: Argentina vs Switzerland (2 a.m. WAT)
One of the biggest stories of the knockout round was the elimination of all three tournament co-hosts.
The United States crashed out after a 4-1 defeat to Belgium, Canada were beaten 3-0 by Morocco, while Mexico’s campaign ended with a 3-2 loss to England.
It marks the first time in modern World Cup history that all co-host nations have been eliminated in the same knockout round.
Switzerland claimed the final quarter-final ticket after edging Colombia 4-3 on penalties following a goalless draw.
The victory ended the Swiss side’s 72-year wait for a World Cup quarter-final appearance, their first since hosting the tournament in 1954, and also delivered their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout triumph.
Spain also progressed in dramatic fashion after Mikel Merino’s stoppage-time winner secured a 1-0 victory over Portugal, bringing Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career to an end.
Attention will also be on the race for the Golden Boot. Lionel Messi leads the scoring chart with eight goals, while Kylian Mbappé has seven and Erling Haaland has six, leaving the trio firmly in contention for the award.
2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final fixtures
Thursday, July 9
France vs Morocco
Time: 9:00 p.m. WAT
Venue: Boston Stadium.
Friday, July 10
Spain vs Belgium
Time: 8:00 p.m. WAT
Venue: Los Angeles Stadium.
Saturday, July 11
Norway vs England
Time: 10:00 p.m. WAT
Venue: Miami Stadium.
Sunday, July 12
Argentina vs Switzerland
Time: 2:00 a.m. WAT
Venue: Kansas City Stadium.
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