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2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals: France plays Morocco, Belgium among final eight

Eight teams remain from the 48 that started the 2026 World Cup in the United States; France meets Morocco in a 2022 semi-final rematch; Belgium eliminated co-host USA in the round of 16; quarterfinal matches run July 9-11

Sports· active How Life Changes ·14 takes · ·rbtfl upd Jul 13, 2026
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developments

  1. All four World Cup semifinalists confirmed: France vs Spain and Argentina vs England, with matches scheduled for July 13-14 ↗

  2. Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 on July 7 in a comeback in Atlanta, scoring three goals from the 79th minute. Switzerland eliminated Colombia on penalties to set up a quarterfinal against Argentina. The full quarterfinal bracket is now set: Argentina vs Switzerland, France vs Morocco, plus the earlier confirmed QFs. NBC News live coverage confirmed both R16 results. ↗

The split

The same story, as told by newsrooms in different countries. Their words, attributed and linked.

United States

Yahoo Sports

“What are the matchups in the Quarterfinals and Semifinals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?”

US sports mainstreamread the original ↗

United States

Fox Sports

“The USA just couldn't keep up with Belgium, which knocked the Americans out of the World Cup.”

US sports, host-nation perspectiveread the original ↗

United States

US Soccer Federation

“Malik Tillman Scores His Second World Cup Goal on a Direct Free Kick; Mauricio Pochettino's Three Wins Are Most-Ever for USMNT Manager in the FIFA World Cup.”

unlabelledread the original ↗

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Summary

The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals begin July 9 across US venues, reducing 48 original entrants to eight. [[France]] and [[Morocco]] meet in a replay of their 2022 semi-final. Co-host United States is already out, eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16, where Malik Tillman scored on a direct free kick and Pochettino set a record with three World Cup wins as USMNT head coach. Quarterfinal matches run July 9-11, with the semifinals to follow later in the week.

Why it matters

The USA's exit as host shifts the commercial and emotional weight of the tournament away from the domestic audience. The France-Morocco quarter-final is the most watched rematch in this bracket, drawing on the narrative from 2022 when the two sides last met at this stage.

What to watch

  • Whether Morocco can advance past France for the first time in a World Cup knockout match
  • Attendance and broadcast numbers in the USA with the host now eliminated
  • The bracket path to the final and which of the eight remaining sides reaches the July 19 championship

The briefing, by email