World Cup 2026 quarter-finals: France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England, Argentina vs Switzerland team-by-team preview

09.07.2026, 13:49 skysports.com

From 48, we're now down to just eight. The World Cup quarter-finals begin today - and we're one step closer to knowing who will lift the trophy on July 19.

To whet your appetite for the latter rounds, here is your team-by-team guide to every nation - from favourites France to ever-improving England...

Thursday July 9, kick-off 9pm - Foxborough, USA

Route to the quarter-finals: France cruised through the group with three wins, making light work of a Group of Death scenario with Senegal and fellow quarter-finalists Morocco and Norway. Their 3-0 smashing of Sweden in the round of 32 elevated them to tournament favourites, but their last-16 win over Paraguay was less than convincing. Are cracks starting to show?

Best player so far: Kylian Mbappe is making a solid claim for best player in the world. He has put a tumultuous season with Real Madrid behind him by setting this World Cup alight with seven goals so far. That's taken him to 19 goals in 19 World Cup games overall. He's competing with Lionel Messi for the all-time record, and is probably the closest player to his individual quality at the tournament.

Gem to watch: Manu Kone has started three out of France's last four games in the tournament, including the last-16 win over Paraguay. The 25-year-old was relatively unknown before the World Cup, but the Roma midfielder's displays are catching the eye of Europe's elite. He's the modern midfielder - strong, calm in the opposition press and able to carry the ball into testing areas.

Strength: That front four. Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele are at the top of their respective games, with exciting young talents Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola vying for the final spot. It's an attack that has managed to gel together.

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Weakness: They don't have many. One area to look out for is suspensions. Olise and Barcola are one booking away from missing the semi-finals. Losing those two would seriously damage their creative ability and force a rethink of their forward plans.

Route to the quarter-finals: Morocco became the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals in 2022 and have backed up that display with another promising campaign. They held Brazil to an exciting draw in the opener before winning the other two group games. A penalty shootout win over the Dutch in the round of 32 elevated their status, before a routine win over co-hosts Canada was their best all-around performance yet.

Best player so far: Achraf Hakimi is the captain and star player, having just sealed back-to-back Champions League trophies with PSG. He may be a right-back but his attacking play causes havoc for opposition defences. Wingers don't know whether to track back and full-backs don't know who to pick up.

Gem to watch: Ayyoub Bouaddi was born in France - and even played for Les Bleus U21s team as recently as this year. But now he could be the breakout star of the tournament - and perhaps one of France's biggest ever regrets. The 18-year-old is a key all-round cog in midfield, showing a very cool head on young shoulders.

Strength: Morocco spread the goals and assists around, with six different goalscorers from their opening five games. If you look at their attacking quality, Ismael Saibari, Azzedine Ounahi, Diaz and Bilal El Khannouss have a lot of experience at the highest level, with dangerous options like Chemsdine Talbi and Soufiane Rahimi off the bench.

Weakness: Morocco have a bit of a reputation for being 'nearly men' who lack durability in big games. They threw away the Africa Cup of Nations final on the pitch - before winning the trophy off it - while injuries derailed their last World Cup campaign. Top scorer Saibari came off injured after 20 minutes in the last game and could miss this game.

Friday July 10 kick-off 8pm - Los Angeles, USA

Route to the quarter-finals: Spain began with an embarrassing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde but recovered to hammer Saudi Arabia and beat Uruguay to top Group H. They delivered a statement victory in the round of 32, impressively thrashing Austria 3-0 with their best performance before beating Portugal thanks to Mikel Merino's late winner.

Best player so far: Mikel Oyarzabal has scored four times but it's Pau Cubarsi's impact at centre-back that has helped keep Spain's defence watertight. The 19-year-old Barcelona defender has been their most consistent performer and has developed a strong partnership alongside Aymeric Laporte.

Gem to watch: Lamine Yamal made a slow start to the World Cup as he rediscovered his sharpness after returning from a thigh injury. He's scored just once, although he completed his first 90 minutes against Portugal and there is much more to come from the 18-year-old.

Strength: Spain are known for their stylish football and attacking flair, but it's their defence that has impressed most. Luis de la Fuente's side are yet to concede a goal, have by far the lowest xG against of just 1.49 and have only faced five shots on target.

Weakness: Cape Verde showed the blueprint of how to frustrate Spain, who have at times struggled in attack. They have underperformed their xG and have a conversion rate that is lower than that of all the other quarter-finalists.

Route to the quarter-finals: Belgium struggled initially in Group G, drawing their first two matches against Egypt and Iran before hammering New Zealand 5-1 to finish top. They then looked set to be heading out when two goals down to Senegal with four minutes left, only to score twice and then net a 125th-minute winner in extra time. A 4-1 win over the USA in the previous round was much more straightforward.

Best player so far: Romelu Lukaku has scored three times and Youri Tielemans has played a major part in keeping Belgium in the tournament, but it's Leandro Trossard who has been his country's standout performer. The Arsenal winger has been a constant threat, scoring two goals and providing two assists, while creating the most chances of any player at the tournament.

Gem to watch: Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere significantly strengthened his case for a starting spot with two goals and an assist against the USA. The 6ft 4in 25-year-old, who is left-footed, offers a different profile to Lukaku and could worry Spain at set pieces and crosses.

Strength: Belgium have nailed their press. They've had 15 shots, almost double than the next best, when they've won a high turnover and their four goals from them are the most of any side. But will they be brave enough to continue with their aggressive approach against Spain's possession-first style?

Weakness: It would have been unthinkable a year ago that Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku would be substituted in the 56th minute of a World Cup game when two goals down to Senegal. De Bruyne was an unused substitute against the USA, while Doku has yet to register a goal involvement. Two of Belgium's main men haven't turned up yet.

Saturday July 11, kick-off 10pm - Miami, USA

Route to the quarter-finals: Norway have been the entertaining surprise package. Victories over Iraq and Senegal earned them knockout progression with one game to spare, allowing them to play their reserves against France in the final group game. Victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil have caught the eye and sent them to their first World Cup quarter-final. But as well as matches, Norway have won the hearts and minds of the world via their infamous 'Row' celebration. How far will the ship carry?

Best player so far: Erling Haaland. The Man City striker had never played in the World Cup before, but has seven goals in four games. He barely has any touches of the ball and looks completely anonymous at times, but it's a false sense of security - he will then end up with two match-winning goals. A monster, if given time and space.

Gem to watch: Aged just 21, Antonio Nusa looks like a future world beater. The RB Leipzig winner curled in a glorious opener in the last-32 win over Ivory Coast to fully announce himself. A tricky winger who can go either side of the defender, he's exactly the wide threat England should worry about as they mull over which right-back to use.

Strength: Haaland aside, Norway are pretty good at hydration breaks. They tend to come out very strong after a break in play - whether it be for half-time or hydration. They have scored three goals in the 10 minutes after such a pause, and Norway used the second half break in play against Brazil to turn momentum in their favour. Manager Stale Solbakken likes to put his message across.

Weakness: While Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Nusa lead an exciting frontline, can the rest of the team match up? Defensively, they are quite leaky - only four teams have conceded more xG than Norway. Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland was player of the match against Brazil for keeping the scoreline down.

Route to the quarter-finals: Belief grew after an opening win over Croatia, but it shrunk after a goalless draw with Ghana. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have been crucial in their wins over Panama, DR Congo and Mexico since then. None of those wins have been convincing enough to make them tournament favourites, but that victory over co-hosts Mexico in the Azteca Stadium should breathe a new wave of confidence in the squad.

Best player so far: Take your pick between Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Both have shown they can win games on their own. Kane is one of the world's best strikers and has 73 goals for club and country this season. Bellingham has the "bite" - according to his manager - to drive the team forward and open up spaces in the penalty area. England join France as the only teams with two players on four goals or more so far in this World Cup.

Gem to watch: He's hardly a gem given he is a high-profile player in this team, but Bukayo Saka has really gone under the radar this tournament. In a summer in which he has struggled for fitness,