The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final lineup is now complete after Argentina and Switzerland claimed the final two places in the last eight. Following another dramatic day of knockout action, the South American giants battled back to defeat Egypt 3-2, while Switzerland edged Colombia in a tense penalty shootout to continue their impressive tournament run.
Argentina Take Down Egypt
Despite falling two goals behind, Argentina once again showed their fighting spirit to complete a remarkable comeback and secure their place in the quarter-finals.
The Pharaohs stunned the reigning world champions by taking the lead after just 15 minutes with a powerful header from Yasser Ibrahim.
Things became even more difficult for Lionel Scaloni’s side when Mostafa Ziko doubled Egypt’s advantage in the 67th minute. Egypt even thought they had scored a third goal moments earlier, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.
However, Argentina refused to surrender. Cristian Romero sparked the comeback by pulling one goal back in the 79th minute before Lionel Messi restored parity just four minutes later with a composed finish.
The winning goal arrived deep into stoppage time when Enzo Fernández completed the comeback. The goal sparked protests from the Egyptian players and coaching staff, who believed several fouls in the build-up should have been reviewed by VAR.
Despite the controversy, the goal stood, and Argentina held on to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory and a place in the quarter-finals.
Switzerland Eliminate Colombia on Penalties
Meanwhile, Switzerland also booked their place in the last eight after defeating Colombia in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw.
Both teams adopted an attacking approach throughout the match but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against two disciplined defensive units.
Neither side could find the breakthrough during normal time or the additional 30 minutes of extra time, forcing the match into penalties.
Eventually, Switzerland held their nerve from the spot, converting four of their five penalties while Colombia missed two attempts. Making the official shootout score 4-3 for the Rossocrociati.
As a result, Murat Yakin’s side progressed to the quarter-finals, where they will face Argentina in another highly anticipated showdown.
🏆 FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16 Results
| Date (Local) | Match | Result | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 4 | Morocco vs Canada | 3-0 | ⚽ Azzedine Ounahi (50′, 82′), Brahim Díaz (90′) |
| July 4 | France vs Paraguay | 1-0 | ⚽ Kylian Mbappé (70′ pen.) |
| July 5 | Norway vs Brazil | 2-1 | ⚽ Erling Haaland (79′, 90′) | Neymar (90+10′ pen.) |
| July 5 | Mexico vs England | 2-3 | ⚽ Jude Bellingham (36′, 38′), Harry Kane (60′ pen.) | Julián Quiñones (42′), Raúl Jiménez (69′ pen.) |
| July 6 | Spain vs Portugal | 1-0 | ⚽ Mikel Merino (90+1′) |
| July 6 | Belgium vs United States | 4-1 | ⚽ Charles De Ketelaere (9′, 33′), Hans Vanaken (57′), Romelu Lukaku (90+3′) | Malik Tillman (31′) |
| July 7 | Argentina vs Egypt | 3-2 | ⚽ Cristian Romero (79′), Lionel Messi (83′), Enzo Fernández (90+3′) | Yasser Ibrahim (15′), Mostafa Ziko (67′) |
| July 7 | Switzerland vs Colombia | 0-0 (Switzerland won 4-3 on penalties) | No goals |
🏆 FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarter-final Fixtures
| Date (Local) | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| July 9 | France vs Morocco | Boston Stadium, Boston |
| July 10 | Spain vs Belgium | Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles |
| July 11 | Norway vs England | Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| July 11 | Argentina vs Switzerland | Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City |
