Quarterfinal Recap — All Four Results and the Semifinal Field

Four quarterfinals across three days have left us with the four teams almost everyone at the top of the market expected — but not without two of the ties going the distance. From July 9 to July 11, France, Spain, England and Argentina came through to set up the semifinals, and for the record it is the first time in World Cup history that the four highest-ranked sides in the FIFA rankings have all reached the last four. Two of the four went the professional route inside 90 minutes; the other two needed extra time and, in one case, a red card to open the door. Here is the whole round, tie by tie, and the semifinal picture it leaves for the Canadian neutral.

July 9 — France See Off Morocco

France opened the round exactly as the board suggested, beating Morocco 2–0 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough to reach a third consecutive World Cup semifinal. It was a rematch of the 2022 semifinal, and it carried a Canadian subplot: Morocco were the side that ended Canada’s tournament 3–0 in the Round of 16, so their exit here quietly closed the book on the team that knocked out the co-hosts. France did it the way they have done everything in this knockout run — a clean sheet and enough control to never look like losing. That makes three straight knockout shutouts, and it kept them as the clear tournament favourite. The France team profile has the squad picture behind the run.

July 10 — Spain Grind Past Belgium

Spain needed a late goal to see off Belgium 2–1 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Mikel Merino settling it around the 88th minute. The tie was notable for what it ended: Belgium’s goal was the first Spain had conceded in the entire tournament, closing out a remarkable clean-sheet streak that had carried them through the group stage and into the last eight. It did not stop them — Spain stretched their unbeaten run to 36 matches, one short of Argentina’s all-time record — but it was a reminder that the tournament’s stingiest defence is human after all. Belgium, who had lost Amadou Onana to a tournament-ending injury a round earlier, bow out at the quarterfinal. The Spain team profile carries the detail.

July 11 — Bellingham Drags England Past Norway

The Saturday double-header was where the drama lived. At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Norway — the side that had already knocked out Brazil — went ahead through Andreas Schjelderup on 36 minutes and looked to be authoring another upset. Jude Bellingham had other ideas. He levelled in first-half stoppage time (45+2′) and then, three minutes into extra time, pounced on a ricochet off the Norway goalkeeper to win it 2–1 and send England to their first World Cup semifinal since 2018. It sets up a first meeting with Argentina at a World Cup since 2002. Norway’s terrific run ends at the quarterfinal, but they leave having eliminated the five-time champions. The England team profile has more.

July 11 — Argentina Break Ten-Man Switzerland

The nightcap at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City was level at 1–1 after 90 — Alexis Mac Allister on 10 minutes for Argentina, Dan Ndoye equalising on 67 for Switzerland — when the tie’s hinge moment arrived. Breel Embolo was sent off in the 72nd minute, a second yellow for simulation after a VAR review showed he had gone down before contact. Argentina eventually broke the ten men in extra time through Julián Álvarez (112′) and a Lautaro Martínez goal deep in stoppage time (120+1′) for a 3–1 win. It is a third straight World Cup semifinal for Argentina, who now carry the most goals of the four survivors — but also 60 extra minutes of legs across two extra-time ties. The Argentina team profile tracks the run.

The Semifinal Field

The last four is set, and it is a heavyweight bracket: France, Spain, England and Argentina — the tournament’s four top-ranked teams, a first in World Cup history. France vs Spain is up first, today in Dallas, a repeat of the sides’ Euro 2024 semifinal and only their second-ever World Cup meeting. England vs Argentina follows on July 15 in Atlanta, reviving one of the sport’s most charged rivalries. Every host nation — Canada, the USA and Mexico — is long gone, as are Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands, leaving the Canadian audience as neutrals for the run-in. For the two ties in depth, see our semifinal preview; the value calls are on the semifinal picks page and the outright board sits on the odds hub.

Results are final quarterfinal outcomes as of July 13, 2026. Any odds referenced are decimal and indicative, subject to movement. Confirm live CAD prices with your sportsbook. 19+. Please wager responsibly.