▲ The Swiss national team celebrates after reaching the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.
The quarterfinal lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America is complete, with Switzerland taking the final spot.
In the Round of 16 match held at Vancouver Stadium in Canada today (July 8), Switzerland played to a 0-0 draw against Colombia through extra time before winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
With this victory, Switzerland has reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years, since the 1954 tournament held on home soil.
Switzerland will face defending champion Argentina in the quarterfinals, which secured a dramatic comeback victory against Egypt in the Round of 16 behind the performance of Lionel Messi.
The match between Switzerland and Colombia was the final fixture of the Round of 16.
With all quarterfinalists now determined, the dominance of European teams is notable.
France, which reached the finals in the last two consecutive tournaments (winning the 2018 Russia World Cup and finishing as runner-up in the 2022 Qatar World Cup), leads the list, followed by Norway, England, Spain, Belgium, and Switzerland, all of which have secured their tickets to the quarterfinals.
Argentina from South America and Morocco from Africa complete the quarterfinal bracket.
Compared to the previous tournament in Qatar, the number of European nations has increased by one, while the number of South American countries has decreased by one.
The quarterfinalists four years ago were the Netherlands, Croatia, England, France, and Portugal (Europe), Argentina and Brazil (South America), and Morocco (Africa).
Among them, Croatia and France advanced to the semifinals, and in this tournament, the bracket ensures that at least two European nations will reach the semifinal stage.
Starting from the quarterfinals, all matches will be held in the United States, beginning with the France-Morocco game at Boston Stadium on July 10.
Following this, Spain will face Belgium in Los Angeles on July 11, while Norway will take on England in Miami, and Argentina will clash with Switzerland in Kansas City on July 12.
Beyond the race for the championship, the competition for the Golden Boot, which determines the world's top scorer, is expected to intensify.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) currently leads the scoring race with 8 goals, followed by Erling Haaland (Norway) and Kylian Mbappé (France) tied for second with 7 goals each, and Harry Kane (England) in fourth with 6 goals. All of them will take the field in the quarterfinals.
In particular, the quarterfinal matchup between "monster" striker Haaland, who led Norway to the quarterfinals for the first time in history, and England captain and playmaker Kane, means their fates will be intertwined with their teams' results.
In addition to these players, Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Ousmane Dembélé (France), and Jude Bellingham (England), who have each recorded 4 goals, also have a strong chance to join the race for the top scorer title.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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