KATHMANDU: The quarterfinal lineup for the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 has been finalized following Argentina’s dramatic comeback victory over Egypt and Switzerland’s penalty shootout win against Colombia after a goalless draw.
The last-eight stage promises a series of high-profile encounters featuring some of the world’s top teams. Four nations—Morocco, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland—still have the opportunity to make history by winning their first-ever World Cup title.
Morocco, who became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022, Belgium, the 2018 third-place finishers, Norway, appearing in their first World Cup since 1998 and led by stars Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, and Switzerland, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years, will look to challenge the traditional powerhouses.
Quarterfinal 1: France vs Morocco
Defending runners-up France will face tournament surprise package Morocco, who created history in 2022 by becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals.
Led by Achraf Hakimi, Morocco will aim to produce another upset, while French forward Kylian Mbappé will look to continue his remarkable World Cup scoring run. Mbappé, currently on 19 World Cup goals, needs two more to surpass Lionel Messi’s record of 21 goals, the highest tally in tournament history.
The match is scheduled for July 10 at 1:45 AM (Nepal Standard Time).
Quarterfinal 2: Spain vs Belgium
Spain, champions in 2010, are seeking a return to World Cup glory after disappointing campaigns in recent editions. A young and talented squad featuring Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Rodri, and Nico Williams has raised expectations of a deep tournament run.
Belgium, meanwhile, will rely on experienced leaders Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne as they continue their pursuit of a first-ever World Cup title.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón, who has kept clean sheets in all five matches so far, will be a key figure as Belgium attempt to break down La Roja’s defense.
The match is scheduled for July 11 at 12:30 AM (Nepal Standard Time).
Quarterfinal 3: Norway vs England
One of the most eagerly awaited quarterfinals will see Norway face England in a battle between two of the tournament’s leading scorers.
Norway striker Erling Haaland, who is competing for the Golden Boot with seven goals, will go up against England captain Harry Kane, who has scored six goals so far.
England will also look to Jude Bellingham, who has impressed on the biggest stage with four goals, to provide support for Kane. Fans could witness either Haaland’s famous Viking celebration or another decisive performance from Kane.
The match is scheduled for July 12 at 2:30 AM (Nepal Standard Time).
Quarterfinal 4: Argentina vs Switzerland
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will meet Switzerland in the final quarterfinal fixture. The match comes after several major surprises in the tournament, including Germany and the Netherlands being eliminated by Paraguay and Morocco respectively.
Argentina survived a difficult round-of-16 encounter against debutants Cabo Verde and staged a remarkable comeback from a 2-0 deficit against Egypt to secure a quarterfinal place.
The defending champions will need Messi at his best as they aim to extend his scoring streak to 10 consecutive World Cup matches and continue their title defense.
The match is scheduled for July 12 at 6:30 AM (Nepal Standard Time).
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