World Cup Quarterfinals Set: England to Face Argentina, France Meet Spain
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its quarterfinal stage, and football fans are in for a blockbuster week, headlined by a mouth-watering clash between England and Argentina.
England Survive Norway Scare
England booked their place in the last eight with a 2-1 win over Norway, needing a fightback to get the job done after Norway had threatened to cause an upset. The result extends England’s strong run through the tournament, having already knocked out Congo DR and hosts Mexico in earlier knockout rounds.
Argentina Continue Their Charge
Argentina, meanwhile, eased into the quarterfinals with a comfortable 3-1 win over Switzerland, adding to a knockout run that has already seen them see off Cape Verde and Egypt. Lionel Scaloni’s side have looked increasingly sharp with each round, and their attacking form will be a major talking point heading into the England tie.
The Big One: England vs Argentina
The two sides meet on Wednesday, July 15, in what promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the tournament so far. Bookmakers and analysts currently give England a slight edge, with pre-match projections putting England’s win probability at 36.9% against Argentina’s 31.6%, and a 31.5% chance of the match heading to a draw and potentially extra time or penalties.
The fixture carries extra weight given the two nations’ football history and the quality on both teams’ rosters, and a place in the semi-finals — and a step closer to lifting the trophy — will be on the line.
The Other Quarterfinal: France vs Spain
On the other side of this stage of the draw, European heavyweights France and Spain meet a day earlier, on Tuesday, July 14. France arrive on the back of a comfortable 2-0 win over Morocco, while Spain have been in ruthless form, beating Belgium 2-1 in their own path to the quarterfinals after an earlier 3-0 demolition of Austria in the round of 32.
Current projections make this an extremely tight contest, with France given a slight edge at 40.9% to Spain’s 29.8%, and a 29.3% chance of a draw.
What’s Next
The winners of these two quarterfinals will meet in the semi-finals, with England or Argentina potentially set for a mouth-watering last-four date with the winner of France vs Spain. Semi-final fixtures are scheduled for July 18 and 19, setting up a thrilling final stretch of the tournament as the World Cup heads toward its climax later this month.
nsemgh will bring live updates and analysis as the World Cup quarterfinals unfold this week.
