The quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup concluded with the final four, making the path to the championship unambiguous. Over three days and four matches, the competition reduced the original eight contenders to the semifinalists set to compete for a place in the final.
France advanced first, defeating Morocco 2-0 at Boston Stadium, as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scored the goals that secured the tournament’s opening semifinal berth.
A day later, Spain secured its place in the semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium, the decisive goal coming in the 88th minute from Mikel Merino after earlier goals from Fabian Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere had been equalized.
On Saturday, England required a stoppage-time equalizer and a Jude Bellingham extra-time winner to overcome Norway, while Alexis Mac Allister, Julián Álvarez, and Lautaro Martínez contributed to Argentina’s 3-1 victory over Switzerland, completing the semifinal lineup.
2026 FIFA World Cup Semifinal Schedule
With the bracket complete, here is the full slate for the final four:
Tuesday, July 14
France vs Spain – Dallas Stadium
Wednesday, July 15
England vs Argentina – Atlanta Stadium
Also Read
- Alvarez Late Strike Secures Argentina Victory and Sets Up High-Stakes Semi-Final Against England
- Haskell Stakes Showdown Looms: Preakness Hero Napoleon Solo Leads Deep Field of Triple Crown Veterans
- Scaloni Stresses Realistic Approach and Improvement Ahead of England Showdown in World Cup Semifinal
- Heather Knight Announces Retirement from International Cricket Following Historic Lord’s Test</TITLE]Veteran English cricketer Heather Knight has officially announced her retirement from international cricket. Knight confirmed she will step away from the game following the conclusion of the ongoing Lord’s Test against India Women. This historic fixture at the Home of Cricket marks Knight’s 320th and final international appearance for England Women.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) formalized the announcement on the second day of the Test, following Knight’s contribution of 6 runs from 25 balls during England’s first-innings total of 170. Reflecting on a career that began in 2010, Knight expressed that while walking away from the international stage is incredibly difficult, she feels a sense of profound fulfillment regarding her professional journey.<blockquote
![Heather Knight Announces Retirement from International Cricket Following Historic Lord’s Test</TITLE]Veteran English cricketer Heather Knight has officially announced her retirement from international cricket. Knight confirmed she will step away from the game following the conclusion of the ongoing Lord’s Test against India Women. This historic fixture at the Home of Cricket marks Knight’s 320th and final international appearance for England Women.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) formalized the announcement on the second day of the Test, following Knight’s contribution of 6 runs from 25 balls during England’s first-innings total of 170. Reflecting on a career that began in 2010, Knight expressed that while walking away from the international stage is incredibly difficult, she feels a sense of profound fulfillment regarding her professional journey.<blockquote](https://i1.wp.com/media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1783832376600_Heather-Knight.jpeg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Heather Knight Announces Retirement from International Cricket Following Historic Lord’s Test</TITLE]Veteran English cricketer Heather Knight has officially announced her retirement from international cricket. Knight confirmed she will step away from the game following the conclusion of the ongoing Lord’s Test against India Women. This historic fixture at the Home of Cricket marks Knight’s 320th and final international appearance for England Women.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) formalized the announcement on the second day of the Test, following Knight’s contribution of 6 runs from 25 balls during England’s first-innings total of 170. Reflecting on a career that began in 2010, Knight expressed that while walking away from the international stage is incredibly difficult, she feels a sense of profound fulfillment regarding her professional journey.<blockquote")
![Bellingham’s World Cup Surge Mimics Legends as He Challenges Greats</TITLE]Jude Bellingham famously challenged the skeptics with a defiant “Who Else?” gesture to the England supporters, following his role in averting a devastating defeat against Slovakia during Euro 2024.That moment of brilliance came via a spectacular 94th-minute overhead kick in Gelsenkirchen, a goal that shifted the momentum and propelled England to a Round of 16 victory in extra time.While his journey has seen fluctuations, including a temporary exclusion from Thomas Tuchel’s squad, his performance in this World Cup has been on a consistent upward trajectory.Bellingham’s “who else?” mantra feels increasingly prophetic following his brace in Mexico City’s 3-2 victory and his subsequent clinical performance against Norway.He continues to demonstrate a remarkable ability to deliver in high-pressure moments, providing the decisive contributions when England needs them most.A statistical analysis of his 12 goals for England reveals that nine have been scored in major tournaments, with five giving England the lead and two acting as crucial equalizers.He is approaching elite territory; only Gary Lineker, who netted six goals in 1986, has scored as many non-penalty goals in a single World Cup, leaving the door open for Bellingham to extend this record before the tournament concludes.Furthermore, to cement his status as a complete, world-class talent, he joins Erling Haaland as the only players at this tournament capable of scoring with their left foot, right foot, and from headers.Ultimately, Bellingham is displaying incredible versatility in his finishing. His goalscoring repertoire ranges from instinctive poacher’s finishes and perfect positional awareness in the box to moments of pure individual brilliance driven by power, pace, and technical skill.](https://i2.wp.com/ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_sport/1200/cpsprodpb/b3aa/live/66ff3770-7d9f-11f1-a998-878927a5819d.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Bellingham’s World Cup Surge Mimics Legends as He Challenges Greats</TITLE]Jude Bellingham famously challenged the skeptics with a defiant “Who Else?” gesture to the England supporters, following his role in averting a devastating defeat against Slovakia during Euro 2024.That moment of brilliance came via a spectacular 94th-minute overhead kick in Gelsenkirchen, a goal that shifted the momentum and propelled England to a Round of 16 victory in extra time.While his journey has seen fluctuations, including a temporary exclusion from Thomas Tuchel’s squad, his performance in this World Cup has been on a consistent upward trajectory.Bellingham’s “who else?” mantra feels increasingly prophetic following his brace in Mexico City’s 3-2 victory and his subsequent clinical performance against Norway.He continues to demonstrate a remarkable ability to deliver in high-pressure moments, providing the decisive contributions when England needs them most.A statistical analysis of his 12 goals for England reveals that nine have been scored in major tournaments, with five giving England the lead and two acting as crucial equalizers.He is approaching elite territory; only Gary Lineker, who netted six goals in 1986, has scored as many non-penalty goals in a single World Cup, leaving the door open for Bellingham to extend this record before the tournament concludes.Furthermore, to cement his status as a complete, world-class talent, he joins Erling Haaland as the only players at this tournament capable of scoring with their left foot, right foot, and from headers.Ultimately, Bellingham is displaying incredible versatility in his finishing. His goalscoring repertoire ranges from instinctive poacher’s finishes and perfect positional awareness in the box to moments of pure individual brilliance driven by power, pace, and technical skill.")
