Argentina Overcome Ten-Man Switzerland to Book World Cup Semifinal Clash with England

Published On 12 Jul 202612 Jul 2026

Defending champions Argentina will face England in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals after surviving a stern test from Switzerland, winning 3-1 after extra time at Kansas City Stadium on Saturday. A decisive long-range strike from Julián Álvarez ultimately settled a tense quarter-final.

Argentina made an ideal start when Alexis Mac Allister headed home a tenth-minute cross from Lionel Messi. However, the South Americans struggled to impose their usual dominance thereafter, and Switzerland deservedly drew level in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye slotted home from close range.

The match turned on a controversial VAR intervention in the 72nd minute. Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation after winning a free-kick, but only after the video assistant referee advised João Pinheiro to review whether a booking given to Argentina’s Leandro Paredes was a case of mistaken identity—a new VAR protocol for this tournament. The Portuguese referee overturned his original decision, sending an inconsolable Embolo off and reducing Switzerland to ten men.

Argentina pressed for a winner in regulation time and nearly found it with virtually the last kick. Lisandro Martínez threw himself at a loose ball in the box, but his scissor-kick lacked the power to beat the goalkeeper. Messi also came close when through one-on-one, only to see his chip saved; the assistant referee flagged for offside, though replays suggested the goal might have stood, which would have been Messi’s ninth in six tournament appearances.

It was Álvarez who seized the moment in the first half of extra time, unleashing a ferocious 25-yard drive that ripped into the top right corner in the 112th minute. As Switzerland threw bodies forward in desperation, gaping holes appeared at the back, allowing Lautaro Martínez to tap home a third deep into stoppage time after a counter-attack led by Thiago Almada, whose initial shot deflected kindly into his teammate’s path.

Argentina will now face England in the semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta. In the other last-four clash, Spain take on France—whom Argentina defeated in the 2022 final—on Tuesday.

Only Italy and Brazil have previously defended a World Cup title. The gruelling nature of this competition, which also saw Argentina pushed to extra time by Cape Verde in the round of 32, may prove a factor. England, meanwhile, also required extra time to overcome Norway on Saturday. Yet at 39, Messi remains determined to defy time and cannot be ruled out from producing yet more magical moments.

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