How many teams are in the World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals?

Eight teams — the 8 winners from the Round of 16 (July 4–8). Four matches produce four Semi-finalists.

What happens after the World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals?

The four Quarter-final winners advance to the Semi-finals (July 14–15). Losers go home. The two Semi-final winners meet in the Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.

World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals — Fixtures & Teams

Q: When are the World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals take place July 9, 10 and 11, 2026. Four matches across three days. Winners advance to the Semi-finals on July 14–15.

When are the World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals?

The Quarter-finals run from July 9 to July 11, 2026, with four matches across three days. The Semi-finals follow on July 14 and 15.

How does the Quarter-final work?

Single-elimination: 8 teams play 4 matches. Win → Semi-finals. Lose → eliminated. If level after 90 minutes, extra time (2×15 mins), then penalties if still tied. No aggregate scores, no away goals.

How do teams reach the Quarter-finals?

To reach the 2026 Quarter-finals, a team must win three consecutive knockout matches — the Round of 32, then the Round of 16, then the Quarter-final itself. The new Round of 32 means reaching the last eight requires one more win than in previous World Cups.

Quarter-final fixtures — all 4 confirmed

Jul 9 · Boston · FT ✅ France 2-0 Morocco

🇫🇷 France 2–0 🇲🇦 Morocco

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough · Mbappe's pen was saved but he scored (60') and assisted Dembele (66') · France advance to the Semi-final · Match report →

Jul 10 · Los Angeles · FT ✅ Spain 2-1 Belgium

🇪🇸 Spain 2–1 🇧🇪 Belgium

SoFi Stadium · Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring, De Ketelaere levelled before half-time (Spain's first goal conceded all tournament), Merino's 88th-minute winner sent Spain through · Spain advance to the Semi-final vs France

Jul 11 · Miami · FT (AET) ✅ England 2-1 Norway

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England 2–1 🇳🇴 Norway (AET)

Hard Rock Stadium · Schjelderup opened for Norway (36'), Bellingham equalised (45+2') and struck the extra-time winner (93') · Haaland finishes the tournament on 7 goals · England advance to the Semi-final vs Argentina

Jul 11 · Kansas City · FT (AET) ✅ Argentina 3-1 Switzerland

🇦🇷 Argentina 3–1 🇨🇭 Switzerland (AET)

Arrowhead Stadium · Mac Allister opened (10'), Ndoye equalised for Switzerland (67'), Julián Álvarez restored the lead in extra time (112') and Lautaro Martínez sealed it (120+1') · Messi stays on 8 goals · Argentina advance to the Semi-final vs England

Live scores at FIFA.com

The Semi-final four — who is through?

🇫🇷 France — beat Morocco 2-0 in the QF on Jul 9 · Mbappé's pen was saved but he scored and assisted, then 8 goals · finished the tournament as Golden Boot winner on 10 after a brace in the Third-place match · Advance to Semi-final 1 vs Spain (lost, finished 4th)
🇪🇸 Spain — beat Belgium 2-1 in the QF on Jul 10 · Fabián Ruiz & Merino (88') scored · first goal conceded all tournament, ending a run of 6 straight clean sheets · Advance to Semi-final 1 vs France
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England — beat Norway 2-1 after extra time in the QF on Jul 11 · Bellingham equalised (45+2') and scored the extra-time winner (93') after a Schjelderup opener · Lost 2-1 to Argentina in Semi-final 2 (Jul 15) — eliminated
🇦🇷 Argentina — beat Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in the QF on Jul 11 · Mac Allister opened, Ndoye equalised, Julián Álvarez (112') and Lautaro Martínez (120+1') won it in extra time · Beat England 2-1 in Semi-final 2 (Jul 15) — through to the Final

🇨🇦 Canada, 🇵🇾 Paraguay, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇺🇸 USA eliminated in R16 · 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇳🇴 Norway & 🇨🇭 Switzerland eliminated in the QF · 🇫🇷 France (lost 2-0 to Spain, Jul 14) and 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England (lost 2-1 to Argentina, Jul 15) eliminated in the Semi-finals. 46 teams eliminated in total — Spain and Argentina meet in the Final on Jul 19.

Quarter-final previews

🇫🇷 France 2–0 🇲🇦 Morocco

✅ FT · Jul 9 · Boston (Gillette)

The tie of the round delivered a result. This was a 2022 semi-final rematch — Morocco had stopped France's attack for long spells two years ago before falling 2-0, and France won by the same scoreline this time. Mbappé had an early penalty saved by Yassine Bounou but struck the opener himself in the 60th minute, then set up Dembélé for the decisive second goal (66'). That goal takes Mbappé to 8 goals for the tournament, tying him with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race. Morocco's low block held for long periods but could not find a way through at the other end. Full match report →

"Mbappé's saved penalty didn't matter — he scored the opener himself and set up Dembélé to send France through 2-0."

🇪🇸 Spain 2–1 🇧🇪 Belgium

✅ FT · Jul 10 · Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium)

Fabián Ruiz put Spain ahead in the first half, but Charles De Ketelaere levelled for Belgium before the break (1-1 at HT) — the first goal Spain had conceded all tournament, ending a run of 6 straight clean sheets. Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois went off injured early and was replaced by backup Senne Lammens. Mikel Merino struck the 88th-minute winner off a rebound from a Lammens save — his second goal of the tournament after his Round of 16 winner vs Portugal. Spain advance to face France in Semi-final 1 on July 14 in Dallas; Belgium are eliminated.

"Merino does it again — an 88th-minute rebound sends Spain through 2-1 and ends Belgium's run."

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England 2–1 🇳🇴 Norway (AET)

✅ FT · Jul 11 · Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)

A classic. Andreas Schjelderup put Norway ahead in the 36th minute, and it stayed that way until Jude Bellingham equalised right on the stroke of half-time (45+2'). Neither side could find a winner in 90 minutes, so it went to extra time — where Bellingham struck again, in the third minute of the additional period (93'), to send England through 2-1. That's a brace for Bellingham on top of his earlier R16 double vs Mexico, taking him to 6 goals at that point, level with Harry Kane. Erling Haaland's tournament ended on 7 goals without adding to his tally here. Norway's historic run — their first-ever World Cup Quarter-final, built on a stunning Round of 16 win over Brazil — ended in Miami. England went on to face Argentina in Semi-final 2 on July 15 in Atlanta, losing 2-1, then beat France 6-4 in the Third-place match on Jul 18 — Bellingham's late goal there took him to 7, tied 3rd in the Golden Boot with Haaland.

"Bellingham does it twice — equaliser before the break, extra-time winner after it. England survive Norway 2-1 AET."

🇦🇷 Argentina 3–1 🇨🇭 Switzerland (AET)

✅ FT · Jul 11 · Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)

Alexis Mac Allister put Argentina ahead early (10'), but Dan Ndoye levelled for Switzerland in the second half (67') to send the tie to extra time. Argentina found two more in the additional period — Julián Álvarez restored the lead (112') and Lautaro Martínez sealed it in the dying seconds (120+1') to make it 3-1. Messi did not add to his tally in this one and remains on 8 goals, 2nd behind Mbappé's eventual Golden Boot-winning tally of 10. Switzerland's first Quarter-final since 1954 ends in defeat. Argentina went on to beat England 2-1 in Semi-final 2 on July 15 in Atlanta, coming from behind, to reach the Final against Spain on July 19.

"Extra time settles it again — Álvarez and Lautaro see off Switzerland 3-1 as Argentina reach the Semi-final."

🥇 Golden Boot: Mbappé wins it outright on 10 goals after a brace in the Third-place match. Messi finishes 2nd on 8. Haaland and Bellingham tied 3rd on 7. Kane and Dembélé tied on 6. One of the most competitive races in World Cup history.

Full tracker →

Path to the Final — QF bracket

QF1 · Jul 9 (FT)

🇫🇷 France 2–0 🇲🇦 Morocco

→

SF1 · Jul 14 (FT)

🇪🇸 Spain 2–0 🇫🇷 France

QF3 · Jul 10 (FT)

🇪🇸 Spain 2–1 🇧🇪 Belgium

↗

QF2 · Jul 11 (FT AET)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England 2–1 🇳🇴 Norway

→

SF2 · Jul 15 (FT)

🇦🇷 Argentina 2–1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

QF4 · Jul 11 (FT AET)

🇦🇷 Argentina 3–1 🇨🇭 Switzerland

↗

The Final is confirmed: 🇪🇸 Spain vs 🇦🇷 Argentina · Jul 19 · MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Has Spain conceded a goal at World Cup 2026?

Yes — for the first time, in the Quarter-final. Spain went 6 straight matches without conceding — three in the group stage (Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Algeria) and three in the knockouts (Croatia in R32, Austria in R16, Portugal in the R16) — before Charles De Ketelaere finally beat goalkeeper Unai Simón in the QF2 win over Belgium (2-1, Jul 10). That clean-sheet streak was a new World Cup record while it lasted.

The last team to go through an entire World Cup without conceding in the group stage and knockouts was France in 2006 (until the Final). Spain beat France 2-0 in Semi-final 1 on July 14 at AT&T Stadium, Dallas (Oyarzabal pen, Porro) to reach their second-ever World Cup Final.