Argentina and England Advance to World Cup Semifinals After Extra-Time Thrillers
The defending champions will face England in a highly anticipated semifinal clash, while France and Spain battle for the other final spot.
The story
Defending champions Argentina secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium. The match saw Alexis Mac Allister open the scoring for Argentina in the 10th minute with a header from a Lionel Messi corner.
Switzerland equalized in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye, who found the net after Emiliano Martinez had made a superb save. The game took a dramatic turn in the 72nd minute when Switzerland's Breel Embolo received his second yellow card for simulation and was sent off, leaving his team with ten men.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Switzerland held on through regular time. In extra time, Julian Alvarez broke the deadlock with a breathtaking long-range strike in the 112th minute, followed by Lautaro Martinez sealing the deal with a goal in the 120+1st minute to send Argentina through.
Yesterday's results
Norway vs England
Score: 1-2 (AET)
Key: Jude Bellingham's brace, including an extra-time winner, sent England into the semifinals at Miami Stadium.
Argentina vs Switzerland
Score: 3-1 (AET)
Key: Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored in extra time after Switzerland went down to 10 men, securing Argentina's semifinal spot at Kansas City Stadium.
Where it stands
The FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinalists are now confirmed following yesterday's thrilling quarterfinal matches. England and Argentina join France and Spain in the final four.
France will face Spain in the first semifinal, while defending champions Argentina will take on England in the second. These matchups set the stage for two blockbuster encounters to determine who will compete for the coveted trophy on July 19.
Off the pitch
| Player | From | To | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Monga | Leicester | Manchester City | €11.7m |
| Morten Hjulmand | Sporting CP | Atletico Madrid | €40m |
| Arthur Atta | Udinese | Fiorentina | €25m |
What we'll be watching
- France vs Spain (Semifinal) - Tuesday, July 14th at AT&T Stadium, Dallas
- England vs Argentina (Semifinal) - Wednesday, July 15th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Reporting + analyst voices: grounded via Google Search at publish time.