LOS ANGELES — The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals continued with two decisive fixtures as Spain edged Belgium 2-1 to reach the semi-finals and join France in the tournament's final four, while the remaining two quarter-final matches were scheduled to determine the other semi-finalists, according to FIFA.
Spain secured its place in the last four with a victory over Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10, extending a run that has carried the European side through the expanded 48-team tournament. FIFA said the result set up Spain's semi-final campaign after France had earlier defeated Morocco 2-0 in the opening quarter-final in Boston.
The remaining quarter-final schedule featured England against Norway and Argentina against Switzerland, with both matches set to complete the semi-final lineup. FIFA said the winners would advance to meet Spain and France in the next stage of the competition.
Spain entered the knockout phase after defeating Austria in the Round of 32 and then overcoming Belgium in a closely contested quarter-final. France advanced by beating Paraguay in the Round of 16 before eliminating Morocco to become the tournament's first semi-finalist.
England reached the quarter-finals after victories over Congo DR and Mexico, while Norway advanced by defeating Ivory Coast and Brazil. Argentina progressed through wins over Cabo Verde and Egypt, and Switzerland booked its place after eliminating Algeria and then Colombia in a penalty shootout. Those results set up two evenly balanced quarter-final contests with places in the semi-finals at stake.
The 2026 tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is the first World Cup featuring 48 teams and a 104-match schedule. The expanded format introduced an additional knockout round before the traditional quarter-final stage, increasing the number of teams competing in the elimination rounds.
Under FIFA's confirmed schedule, the semi-finals were set for July 14 and July 15, with the third-place match on July 18 and the final scheduled for July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium. The outcomes of the remaining quarter-final fixtures would complete the semi-final bracket and determine which teams remained in contention for the World Cup title.
