World Cup Quarterfinals Ignite Today with France and Morocco Kicking Off Elite Eight Action
Eight nations begin their quest for the semifinals, with four thrilling clashes scheduled across the next three days after a brief tournament pause.
The story
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals are set to explode into action today, July 9th, with a highly anticipated clash between France and Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. This marquee matchup, kicking off at 4 p.m.
ET (1 p.m. PT), sees the reigning champions France, spearheaded by prolific scorer Kylian Mbappé, face an unbeaten Morocco side.
France advanced after a tight 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16, with Mbappé netting a penalty. Morocco, a semifinalist from four years ago, impressed with a dominant 3-0 win against Canada, featuring two goals from Azzedine Ounahi. This encounter is a rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinals, promising a compelling battle as both teams vie for a coveted spot in the next round.
Where it stands
With the Round of 16 now concluded, the FIFA World Cup 2026 bracket is officially set for the Quarterfinals, which commence today, July 9th. Eight teams remain in contention: France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, Argentina, and Switzerland.
Notably, football giants Brazil and Germany are absent from this stage for the first time in World Cup history. Six of the remaining teams were group winners (Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, France, Argentina, England), while Morocco and Norway advanced as second-place finishers in their respective groups.
The Quarterfinal matchups are France vs. Morocco, Spain vs.
Belgium, Norway vs. England, and Argentina vs. Switzerland.
Off the pitch
| Player | From | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrey Santos | Chelsea | Manchester United | £50 million |
What we'll be watching
- France vs. Morocco (Quarterfinal) — Thursday, July 9, 4 p.m. ET, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
- Spain vs. Belgium (Quarterfinal) — Friday, July 10, 3 p.m. ET, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
- Norway vs. England (Quarterfinal) — Saturday, July 11, 5 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
- Argentina vs. Switzerland (Quarterfinal) — Saturday, July 11, 9 p.m. ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.