World Cup 2026: Messi’s Argentina Survives Egypt Thriller, Switzerland Stuns Colombia on Penalties
Lionel Messi turned emotional after Argentina fought back from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, with all three Argentine goals arriving in the final 11 minutes of regulation time. The dramatic turnaround sends Argentina through to the quarterfinals, where they’ll now face Switzerland.
The World Cup 2026 quarterfinal lineup is now complete after a dramatic day of Round of 16 action on July 7. Argentina pulled off a stunning comeback against Egypt, and Switzerland outlasted Colombia in a penalty shootout to book the final two spots in the last eight.
Switzerland 0-0 Colombia (Switzerland Win 4-3 on Penalties)
In Vancouver, Switzerland and Colombia played out a tense, goalless 120 minutes before the match went to a penalty shootout. Colombia missed two spot-kicks, from Daniel Sanchez and Manuel Akanji, while Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saved a penalty from Cucho Hernandez to swing momentum in Switzerland’s favor.
Rubén Vargas stepped up to strike the decisive penalty, sending Switzerland into the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, when the country hosted the tournament. Switzerland will now face Argentina in Kansas City.
Full Quarterfinal Picture Taking Shape
With the Round of 16 now complete, the World Cup 2026 quarterfinal schedule includes:
- Thursday, July 9: France vs. Morocco (Foxborough)
- Friday, July 10: Spain vs. Belgium (Inglewood)
- Saturday, July 11: Norway vs. England (Miami Gardens)
- Saturday, July 11: Argentina vs. Switzerland (Kansas City)
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, continues through the final on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Why This Matters for Fans
Tuesday’s results eliminated two more contenders and set up a heavyweight Argentina-Switzerland quarterfinal that fans won’t want to miss. With host nation the United States having already been eliminated by Belgium in the previous round, attention now turns fully to which of the remaining eight teams can go all the way to lift the trophy on July 19.
World Cup 2026 knockouts schedule
Round of 16
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | 1 p.m. | Morocco 3, Canada 0 | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | 5 p.m. | France 1, Paraguay 0 | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | 4 p.m. | Norway 2, Brazil 1 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | 8 p.m. | England 3, Mexico 2 | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | 3 p.m. | Spain 1, Portugal 0 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | 8 p.m. | Belgium 4, USA 1 | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | 12 p.m. | Argentina 3, Egypt 2 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | 4 p.m. | Switzerland vs. Colombia | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
Quarterfinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Thu, Jul. 9 | 4 p.m. | QF1: France vs. Morocco | Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA) |
| Fri, Jul. 10 | 3 p.m. | QF2: Spain vs. Winner, R16 M6 | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | 5 p.m. | QF3: Norway vs. England | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | 9 p.m. | QF4: Argentina vs. Winner, R16 M8 | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
Semifinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Tue, Jul. 14 | 3 p.m. | SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF2 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Wed, Jul. 15 | 3 p.m. | SF2: Winner, QF3 vs. Winner, QF4 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
Third-place match
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 18 | 5 p.m. | Loser, SF1 vs. Loser, SF2 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
Final
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jul. 19 | 3 p.m. | Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
