Switzerland beat Colombia on penalties to set up 2026 World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina

Summary

Switzerland eliminated Colombia on penalties in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 on July 7, advancing to the quarterfinals to face defending champions Argentina. The match is scheduled for July 9-11 in the United States. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, advanced from their own R16 match and enter the quarterfinal as the higher-seeded side. Switzerland, the lower-ranked team in the draw, beat Colombia after a drawn match that went to a shootout, knocking out one of the South American favorites. The Switzerland-Argentina quarterfinal is one of eight last-eight fixtures running July 9-11 at US venues.

Why it matters

Switzerland's elimination of Colombia removes one of the strongest South American nations from the bracket and sets up a test of whether the European upset candidate can sustain that form against the defending world champions. A Switzerland victory would be among the biggest upsets in late-stage World Cup history.

What to watch

• The specific US venue and kickoff time for Argentina vs Switzerland
• Whether Messi's scoring and record-chasing form continues through the quarterfinal
• How Switzerland's penalty-shootout discipline translates against a straight-knockout format