Switzerland are looking to make history against Argentina in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup in search of a spot in the semifinals at Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to making history, they are looking to climb positions in the FIFA rankings.
Switzerland head into this match ranked 14th in the FIFA World Rankings with 1,710.88 points, a position they have earned throughout the tournament. Now they look to keep closing in on the top 10 in a matchup that already has confirmed referees.
Murat Yakin’s men went unbeaten across their four matches so far, opening with a draw against Qatar on Matchday 1 before picking up wins over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada to close out the group stage. They then cruised past Algeria 2-0 in the Round of 32, and needed a penalty shootout to see off Colombia in the Round of 16 following a goalless draw.
Argentina’s FIFA ranking
Argentina maintain a great position in the rankings. Standing in their way is an Argentina side ranked 3rd in the world with 1,925.15 points. Lionel Scaloni’s men topped Group J with a perfect nine points, then survived an extra-time scare against Cape Verde in the Round of 32 before pulling off a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16.
Lionel Messi of Argentina
There is an 11-spot difference between the two teams, which already sets a trend for who is the clear favorite to advance to the semifinals in a matchup that will be eye-catching due to the uniforms they will wear, especially since they are the reigning champions.
Switzerland chasing history
Beyond the ranking gap, there’s a bigger prize on the line for Switzerland, as a win would send them into the semifinals for the first time since 1954, snapping a 72-year drought at this stage of the tournament.
However, Switzerland arrive with a very significant absence that could change the entire landscape, which is the injury to Johan Manzambi, who will not be available for today’s match.
