Welcome to day 32 of the 2026 World Cup finals.
There were 48 countries at these 2026 World Cup finals, the most there has ever been. The matches to take place across Mexico, Canada and the USA.
We were left with 32 countries for the knockouts after 16 were eliminated in the group stage.
The 16 eliminated at the end of the group stage were: Czech Republic, Qatar, Haiti, Turkey, Curacao, Tunisia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Panama, Uzbekistan, Scotland, Iran and South Korea.
Then you can add Egypt, Colombia, USA, Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Paraguay, Australia, Cape Verde, Ghana, Croatia, Algeria, Austria, DR Congo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Senegal, Sweden, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, South Africa. Netherlands, Germany and Japan to that list as they exited in the rounds of 32 and 16.
Then Belgium, Morocco, Norway and Switzerland have been knocked out in the quarter-finals.
This is it, the final days of the 2026 World Cup.
Tonight at 8pm (UK time) it is France v Spain in the first semi-final, a match that could be a classic. As with many of these elite matches, an early goal would go a long way to ensuring a great game. Always a risk that when goalless the teams can become increasingly afraid of conceding, rather than the anticipation of scoring and taking charge.
That game in Dallas will see England find out who they will face in New Jersey on Sunday IF they get past Argentina.
That England v Argentina game is an 8pm (UK time) kick-off in Atlanta on Wednesday.
An astonishing stat was quoted today ahead of these 2026 World Cup seni-finals.
The Athletic reporting: ‘In 13 of the past 14 finals across men’s and women’s World Cups and European Championships, the side that played their semi-final a day earlier won the final. In the other game, both semis were on the same day. And there is also evidence the pattern carries across to the Copa America.’
So if England indeed do defeat Argentina AND either France or Spain in the final, Thomas Tuchel will have really done it against the odds.
It is now 292 goals in 100 matches and this 2026 World Cup not too far short of averaging three goals per game for the first time since the 1958 World Cup but the chances of it happening are now all but gone. The closest since 1958 was the 1970 Mexico World Cup that averaged 2.97 goals per match, this 2026 World Cup now averaging 2.92 goals per game after the first 98 matches. To get up to an average of three goals per match across the tournament, there would need to be at least 20 goals scored in the four games left to play (including the third-place play-off match).
Here are the results from the quarter-finals and the matches to come (all kick-offs are shown as UK times and with the channel that is showing them).
Quarter-finals
Thursday 9 July
France 2 Morocco 0
Friday 10 July
Spain 2 Belgium 1
Saturday 11 July
Norway 1 England 2 (AET)
Sunday 12 July
Argentina 3 Switzerland 1 (AET)
Semi-finals
Tuesday 14 July
France v Spain 8pm (ITV1)
Wednesday 15 July
England v Argentina 8pm (BBC1)
Third place play-off – Saturday 18 July 10pm
World Cup final – Sunday 19 July 8pm
Here is the full 2026 World Cup schedule: