TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Nearly a month into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament has produced a string of surprises, with several traditional powerhouses eliminated before the quarter-finals while a number of underdog teams have enjoyed remarkable runs.
The Round of 16 brought an early end to the campaigns of several title contenders. Brazil crashed out after losing to Norway, Portugal were eliminated by Spain, Germany fell to Paraguay in a penalty shootout, the Netherlands were knocked out by Morocco, and the United States were beaten by Belgium.
Several quarter-finalists had to battle their way through dramatic knockout ties.
Argentina came from two goals down to defeat Egypt 3-2, with captain Lionel Messi recovering from an early missed penalty to score and help send the defending champions into the last eight.
England booked their place in the quarter-finals by eliminating Mexico, despite finishing the match with 10 men. Switzerland advanced after edging Colombia in a penalty shootout, while Norway pulled off one of the tournament's biggest upsets by knocking out five-time champions Brazil.
Europe Dominates Quarter-Final Lineup
Europe accounts for six of the eight remaining teams in the tournament.
France, Spain, Belgium, England, Switzerland, and Norway have all reached the quarter-finals, while Argentina are the lone South American representative and Morocco are Africa's only remaining team.
The quarter-finals will be played from July 9 to 11 (local time), with the opening match featuring France against Morocco. France reached the last eight by defeating Paraguay, while Morocco advanced after eliminating the Netherlands.
Another all-European clash will see Spain take on Belgium. Spain booked their quarter-final berth by beating Portugal, while Belgium advanced after overcoming the United States.
Norway will face England after their stunning victory over Brazil, while England progressed by defeating Mexico.
The final quarter-final will pit Argentina against Switzerland. Argentina advanced after defeating Egypt, while Switzerland secured their place by beating Colombia on penalties.
2026 FIFA World Cup Quarter-Final Schedule
| France vs Morocco | Thursday, July 9 | 8:00 p.m. ET | Friday, July 10 – 2:00 a.m. WIB |
| Spain vs Belgium | Friday, July 10 | 8:00 p.m. ET | Saturday, July 11 – 2:00 a.m. WIB |
| Norway vs England | Saturday, July 11 | 10:00 p.m. ET | Sunday, July 12 – 4:00 a.m. WIB |
| Argentina vs Switzerland | Saturday, July 11 | 11:00 p.m. ET | Sunday, July 12 – 5:00 a.m. WIB |
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