Argentina are once again among the best four countries in the world after defeating Switzerland in the quarterfinals. En route to fulfilling their dream of back-to-back FIFA World Cup championships, La Albiceleste will play England next, and they know where and when.
Moreover, thanks to the locked bracket system, Argentina have a clear view of what their path to the 2026 World Cup final could look like. Needless to say, Argentina will come across much tougher opponents, probably the three other counties many expected to reach the semifinals prior to the start of the tournament.
Up next, Argentina will face England in the semifinals, as the Three Lionseliminated Norway. From now onwards, Messi and Argentina’s journey is set to cross with the paths of several powerhouses.
For the time being, La Albiceleste must be content to have fought to live another day and must lick their wounds before gearing up for the next battle. Needless to say, it won’t be for the faint of heart. Nothing ever is for Argentina. The 3-1 win against Switzerland in extra time confirmed just that.
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina.
Argentina’s path to 2026 World Cup final
Although Messi and his teammates will be the first to admit they are only focused on the next game in the schedule, they can’t resist but looking ahead. After Argentina defeated Switzerland and advanced to the semifinals, they will take on England. As the quarterfinals stage has come to an end the full semifinals bracket is set.
In the semifinals, Argentina will face an historic clash against arguably their biggest rival—though for very different reasons—as England will cross paths with La Albiceleste. This, surprisingly, will be Lionel Messi’s first match in his career against England.
As for the grand final, many expect Argentina and France to meet in a rematch of the greatest World Cup final in history (2022). However, Spain will try to spoil this idea by trying to defeat Les Bleus in the other semifinal.
| Round | Possible opponents |
| Semifinals | England |
| Final | France or Spain |
Argentina’s dream path to World Cup final
Argentina played Switzerland in a rematch of the Round of 16 clash in 2014 (1-0 Argentina after extra time). In the semifinals, England will definitely be the most compelling matchup in terms of the narrative arc.
Something similar applies to the final. Some may argue a rematch with France is the best option, while others could make the case that a matchup with the UEFA Euro champions, Spain, which would see Messi and Lamine Yamal share a pitch for the first time.
