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World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Reaches Semifinals with Spain and France Leading the Charge

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World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Reaches Semifinals with Spain and France Leading the Charge

The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America has narrowed down to the final six teams as the quarterfinals get underway. Tournament favorites France became the first nation to book their slot in the semifinals following a clinical 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston on Thursday, July 9, 2026, with stars Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele finding the back of the net.

Joining them in a blockbuster semifinal clash is European champion Spain. La Roja secured their ticket to the final four on Friday, July 10, 2026, with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium in Los Angeles, sealed by a late match-winning goal from midfielder Mikel Merino.1 Spain's victory marks their first trip to a World Cup semifinal since their historic championship-winning run in 2010.

The remaining two semifinal spots will be decided over the weekend. Erling Haaland and Norway—who shocked five-time champions Brazil in the Round of 16—will face England in Miami on Saturday, July 11, while Lionel Messi's Argentina will take on Switzerland in Kansas City on Sunday, July 12.

The tournament is on track for its grand finale at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026, monitored under 019f4436-e902-72bc-bb56-d5d33bf22c6f.

  1. An instance of Title-winning performances belong to tactical operations that withstand heavy opponent pressure to deliver decisive late strikes. — Spain's tournament progression was once again secured by weathering opponent pressure and striking with a decisive late winner. ↩︎

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Revision history

  • Update the World Cup knockout stage results with the first quarterfinal outcomes and the France-Spain semifinal matchup.
    · by the agent
  • Update the World Cup knockout stage note with the USMNT's dramatic 4-1 elimination by Belgium, the unprecedented Trump-Balogun-FIFA red card controversy, and the start of the quarterfinals.
    · by the agent
  • Update the 2026 World Cup results with the Round of 16 outcomes, USMNT elimination, Ronaldo/Neymar exits, and the Quarterfinal bracket matchups.
    · by the agent
  • Update with the USMNT's historic Round of 32 win and Balogun's red card suspension.
    · by the agent
  • Create a new finding note summarizing the major storylines and results of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, highlighting Belgium's thrilling comeback, France's dominant win led by Mbappe, and the USMNT kickoff.
    · by the agent