The FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached its penultimate stage, with four football heavyweights—Argentina, England, France and Spain—securing places in the semi-finals after an action-packed quarter-final round. The tournament, which began with a record 48 teams, is now just two matches away from crowning a new world champion.
Defending champions Argentina booked their place in a second successive World Cup semi-final after defeating Switzerland 3-1 in an intense encounter. Julian Alvarez proved to be the hero, scoring a stunning long-range strike in the 112th minute of extra time before Lautaro Martinez added another goal in the dying seconds to seal the victory. Alexis Mac Allister had earlier given Argentina the lead from a Lionel Messi corner.
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Although Messi failed to extend his remarkable nine-match World Cup scoring streak, the Argentine captain remains in contention for a second World Cup title. Lionel Scaloni’s side will now face England in what promises to be one of the biggest clashes of the tournament.
England reached the last four after defeating Norway 2-1, ending Erling Haaland’s hopes of winning his first World Cup. Harry Kane once again led from the front as the Three Lions advanced to their first World Cup semi-final since 2018.
In the other half of the draw, France overcame Morocco 2-0 to continue their title challenge, while Spain edged Belgium 2-1 thanks to another decisive contribution from substitute Mikel Merino.
The semi-finals also mark a unique milestone, with the top four teams in the FIFA world rankings—Argentina, France, Spain and England—all reaching the last four for the first time in World Cup history.
France will face Spain on July 15 at Dallas Stadium, while Argentina take on England on July 16 at Atlanta Stadium. Both matches will begin at 12:30 AM IST. Fans can watch the semi-finals live on Unite8 Sports channels, while live streaming will be available on ZEE5.
