After a grueling slate of quarterfinal action, the 2026 World Cup has whittled its massive field down to the final four. Three European powerhouses and South America’s reigning champion have secured their spots in the semifinals, setting up a blockbuster final week of soccer. Here is how the tournament bracket shakes out for the ultimate stretch run:
- France vs. Spain — July 14 at 3 p.m. ET
- England vs. Argentina — July 15 at 3 p.m. ET
With these two titanic matchups looming, the 2026 World Cup officially celebrated its historic 100th game in dramatic fashion. Argentina punched the final ticket to the semifinals by outlasting Switzerland in a high-stakes overtime game, fueled by a signature, clutch performance from Julian Alvarez.
The winners of these two semifinal clashes will advance to the World Cup Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Meanwhile, the two losing squads will meet in the third-place consolation match on July 18 to battle for the bronze.
OFFICIAL: THE 2026 WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS ARE SET.
— Bolavip US (@bolavipus) July 12, 2026
Only four matches remain before the tournament comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/THXIxMw03B
Quarterfinal recap: How the final four was built
The quarterfinal round delivered relentless drama, heavy-handed controversy, and elite tactical battles that will be talked about for years. Here is a breakdown of how each semifinalist survived and advanced:
- France 2, Morocco 0
- The French national team clinically claimed the first spot in the final four with a controlled 2–0 victory over Morocco in Foxborough, putting an end to another inspiring, deep tournament run by the Atlas Lions.
- Spain 2, Belgium 1
- La Roja booked its ticket to the semifinals by edging past Belgium 2–1, surviving a tightly contested, physical European heavyweight battle in Los Angeles.
- England 2, Norway 1 (AET)
- Jude Bellingham put on a masterful, headline-grabbing performance, scoring twice—including a controversial first-half stoppage-time equalizer—to push the Three Lions past Norway 2–1 in a grueling extra-time clash in Miami.
- Argentina 3, Switzerland 1 (AET)
- A tactical war of attrition in Kansas City saw Alexis Mac Allister open the scoring early for Argentina, before Dan Ndoye struck back with a brilliant second-half equalizer for Switzerland. Despite Swiss forward Breel Embolo receiving a costly red card in the 71st minute, the 10-man Swiss squad heroically forced extra time before ultimately falling to Julian Alvarez outstanding goal and Lautaro Martinez’s finisher.
Now, only four games remain on the schedule. Anticipation is at an all-time high as the soccer world waits to see which two nations will survive the gauntlet and play for the ultimate prize in sports next weekend.
