World Cup 2026 Quarter-Finals set as Brazil, Portugal and Co-hosts crash out

Kathmandu-The FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final line-up has been finalized following Switzerland’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Colombia in the final Round of 16 match on Wednesday morning. With all eight quarter-finalists confirmed, the tournament now heads into its decisive phase after a one-day break.

Europe has emerged as the dominant force in the last eight, with six teams advancing to the quarter-finals. South America and Africa have one representative each.Five-time world champions Brazil suffered a stunning early exit, while all three host nations—the United States, Mexico and Canada—were knocked out in the Round of 16. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal also bowed out, while defending champions Argentina, alongside former champions France, Spain and England, kept their title hopes alive.

Dramatic Round of 16 Produces Major Upsets

The Round of 16 delivered everything fans could hope for late goals, stunning comebacks and historic upsets.

Morocco continued their remarkable World Cup journey by defeating co-host Canada 3-0 to become the first African nation to reach consecutive World Cup quarter-finals. Having reached the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago, the Atlas Lions once again proved they belong among football’s elite.Canada’s historic campaign on home soil ended despite becoming the first co-host to reach the knockout stage.

France secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay thanks to a Kylian Mbappé penalty, while Norway produced one of the biggest shocks of the tournament. Erling Haaland scored twice in the closing minutes to inspire a 2-1 comeback victory over Brazil, sending Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history.

Brazil’s elimination means the five-time champions have failed to reach the last eight for the first time in 36 years.England also survived a dramatic contest, defeating co-host Mexico 3-2 despite playing much of the match with ten men.Spain edged neighboring Portugal 1-0 after Mikel Merino struck a dramatic injury-time winner, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for World Cup glory.The co-hosts’ disappointing campaign continued as Belgium comfortably defeated the United States 4-1. Belgium, after struggling in the group stage, has looked increasingly dangerous since entering the knockout rounds.

Defending champions Argentina once again showed their resilience. After requiring extra time to beat tournament debutants Cape Verde in the previous round, Lionel Messi’s side fought back from 2-0 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 in another thrilling comeback.

The final Round of 16 match saw Switzerland eliminate Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout after neither side could break the deadlock in 120 minutes.

Quarter-Final Matchups Confirmed

The quarter-finals begin after a one-day rest with four blockbuster fixtures.France will meet Morocco in a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semi-final, where France claimed a 2-0 victory on their way to the final.

Spain face Belgium in an all-European showdown. Spain have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in South Africa in 2010, while Belgium return to the last eight for the first time since Russia 2018.Tournament surprise package Norway will take on 1966 champions England. Norway, making their first World Cup appearance in 28 years, stunned Brazil to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.Defending champions Argentina will face Switzerland in the final quarter-final. Argentina are chasing a fourth World Cup title and aiming to become the first nation in 64 years to successfully defend the trophy. Switzerland, meanwhile, have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years.

Golden Boot Race Intensifies

The battle for the Golden Boot is also heating up as the tournament enters its final stages.Lionel Messi leads the scoring charts with eight goals, having scored in each of Argentina’s five matches.

France captain Kylian Mbappé and Norway striker Erling Haaland are close behind with seven goals each, while Mbappé has also registered two assists.England captain Harry Kane remains firmly in contention with six goals.

The Norway-England quarter-final will add another fascinating chapter to the Golden Boot race, with Haaland and Kane going head-to-head. Only one of them will progress to the semi-finals, making the race for the tournament’s top scorer even more intense.France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, both with four goals, remain outside contenders as the competition enters its decisive stage.