Who is in the World Cup quarterfinals? Schedule, teams for final 8

PHILADELPHIA - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to its final eight teams, with the quarterfinals bringing together defending champions, European powers, underdogs and some of the biggest names in soccer.

What we know:

The eight teams in the World Cup quarterfinals are France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina and Switzerland.

The quarterfinals begin Thursday, July 9, and continue through Saturday, July 11.

The winners will advance to the semifinals, which are scheduled for July 14 and July 15.

Quarterfinal schedule

France vs. Morocco

• Thursday, July 9
• 4 p.m. ET
• Boston Stadium

Spain vs. Belgium

• Friday, July 10
• 3 p.m. ET
• Los Angeles Stadium

Norway vs. England

• Saturday, July 11
• 5 p.m. ET
• Miami Stadium

Argentina vs. Switzerland

• Saturday, July 11
• 9 p.m. ET
• Kansas City Stadium

How they got here

France advanced with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, with Kylian Mbappé scoring the difference-making goal.

Morocco reached the quarterfinals after a 3-0 win over Canada, becoming the first African team to make back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals.

Spain moved on with a 1-0 win over Portugal, sending the European champions into a quarterfinal matchup with Belgium.

Belgium ended the United States’ run with a 4-1 win, setting up one of the most intriguing matchups of the round.

Norway pulled off one of the biggest results of the tournament, beating Brazil 2-1 behind two goals from Erling Haaland.

England survived a 3-2 match against Mexico, advancing to the quarterfinals for the third straight World Cup.

Argentina kept its title defense alive with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Egypt after trailing late in the match.

Switzerland advanced after beating Colombia in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw.

Players to watch

For Argentina, Lionel Messi remains the headline. The defending champions looked close to going out against Egypt before storming back, and Messi is still central to Argentina’s hopes of repeating as World Cup champions.

For France, Mbappé is again the player every opponent has to build a game plan around. His goal against Paraguay pushed France into the quarterfinals and kept him in the middle of the tournament’s Golden Boot race.

For Norway, Haaland has already delivered the country’s biggest World Cup moment in decades. His two goals against Brazil sent Norway into the quarterfinals and made England’s defensive assignment obvious.

For England, Harry Kane remains the focal point. England has not always looked comfortable, but it is still alive and now gets a quarterfinal against a Norway team riding one of the biggest wins of the tournament.

For Spain, the names to watch include Lamine Yamal and Mikel Merino. Spain needed a late goal to beat Portugal, but its control and technical quality still make it one of the most dangerous teams left.

For Belgium, Charles De Ketelaere is coming off a two-goal performance against the U.S. and gives Belgium a major attacking threat heading into the Spain match.

For Morocco, Achraf Hakimi and the team’s defensive structure will be key against France. Morocco has already shown it can handle big tournament moments.

For Switzerland, the challenge is clear: slow down Argentina, stay organized and try to push another favorite into uncomfortable territory.

What’s at stake

The France-Morocco winner will face the Spain-Belgium winner in the semifinals.

The Norway-England winner will face the Argentina-Switzerland winner.

The tournament final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium.

How to watch

The World Cup quarterfinals will air on FOX and stream on FOX One.

FIFA World Cup