World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals Preview — All 4 Matches, Odds and Bracket Paths
Available in USEight nations, four matches, three days — and by Saturday night the World Cup will be down to the final four. The quarterfinals begin today with France against Morocco in Foxborough and close with a Saturday doubleheader: Norway vs England in Miami and Argentina vs Switzerland in Kansas City. For Canadian bettors, the bracket has narrowed to a point where every match carries outright implications, and the odds board is starting to separate the genuine contenders from the history-makers. Here is every quarterfinal broken down — schedule, odds, form, injuries, and the semi-final paths that await the winners.
Quick facts before we dive deeper
- QF1: France vs Morocco — Thu July 9, 4:00 PM ET, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough MA.
- QF2: Spain vs Belgium — Fri July 10, 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM PT), SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles CA.
- QF3: Norway vs England — Sat July 11, 5:00 PM ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami FL.
- QF4: Argentina vs Switzerland — Sat July 11, 9:00 PM ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City MO.
- Semi-final paths: QF1 winner vs QF2 winner (July 14, Dallas); QF3 winner vs QF4 winner (July 15, Atlanta).
- Odds format: decimal primary; outright and 1X2 figures approximate, as of 2026-07-08.
QF1: France vs Morocco — Thursday July 9, 4:00 PM ET
1X2 (90 min): France 1.56–1.59 | Draw 3.80–3.95 | Morocco 6.00–6.90
A rematch of the 2022 semi-final that France won 2-0. France have won all six matches at this tournament; Morocco are unbeaten in six with three wins and three draws. The swing factor is Tchouameni — a major doubt with an adductor injury, with conflicting reports on his availability. Morocco are without forward Saibari (hamstring, out) and may be without centre-back Riad (knee, doubtful). Played at an open-air venue in 88°F heat.
My read: the draw at 3.80–3.95 is underpriced. Full preview here.
QF2: Spain vs Belgium — Friday July 10, 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM PT)
1X2 (90 min): Spain 1.61 | Draw 4.00 | Belgium 5.25
Spain’s clean-sheet run is the tournament’s most impressive defensive stat: four consecutive shutouts, just two goals conceded in total — the best defensive record at this World Cup. Belgium, by contrast, are prolific (2.83 goals per match in their winning streak) but leaky, and the loss of midfielder Amadou Onana to an ACL tear against the USA is a genuine blow. Head-to-head is brutally one-sided: Spain are unbeaten in seven meetings, winning six, with a 16-3 aggregate goal difference.
Nico Williams (adductor) is a doubt for Spain but expected in the squad. SoFi Stadium’s fixed roof means weather is not a factor — this is about quality on the ball, and Spain’s quality has been suffocating.
My read: Spain at 1.61 is the closest thing to a safe quarterfinal bet. The H2H dominance is extreme, and Belgium’s midfield without Onana looks exposed.
QF3: Norway vs England — Saturday July 11, 5:00 PM ET
1X2 (90 min): Norway 3.80 | Draw 3.50 | England 1.85–1.95
The most emotionally charged quarterfinal. Norway are in their first-ever World Cup quarter-final — their first tournament since 1998 — riding the wave of Haaland’s seven-goal haul, including the brace that eliminated Brazil. England, the market’s fourth favourite at 5.60 to win the tournament, arrive depleted: Quansah is suspended (red card vs Mexico), Henderson is out of the tournament (broken wrist), and Reece James is doubtful (hamstring, missed training on July 8). Gary Neville’s take: "I don’t think that’s us getting carried away. We should be favourites to beat Norway but it’s going to be tough."
This will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami — mostly sunny, ~93°F, with a 30% chance of afternoon storms. The canopy covers the stands but the pitch is open.
My read: Norway +ML at 3.80 is live. England’s defensive absences are real, and Haaland against a reshuffled back line is a genuine problem.
QF4: Argentina vs Switzerland — Saturday July 11, 9:00 PM ET
1X2 (90 min): Argentina 1.71–1.80 | Draw 3.50 | Switzerland 5.25
Messi against the clock. Eight goals in five matches, the Golden Boot lead, a hat-trick on matchday one, a goal in every game — and now a Swiss side making their first quarterfinal in 72 years. The head-to-head tilts heavily toward Argentina: five wins from seven meetings since 1966, including the 2014 World Cup Round-of-16 (Argentina 1-0, Di María in the 118th minute). Switzerland, though, are the tournament’s quiet achievers — just three goals conceded, goalkeeper Kobel with 16 saves and a penalty stop against Colombia.
The wrinkle: Arrowhead Stadium is open-air in Kansas City with a 40% chance of evening storms and a 71–75°F kick-off temperature. Gonzalo Montiel is one yellow card away from missing the semi-final — Argentina will need to manage that carefully.
My read: Argentina at 1.71–1.80 is fair, but the price I want is Argentina to win and both teams to score — Switzerland have conceded only three all tournament, but Argentina have conceded in each of their last three. A 2-1 or 3-1 line would not surprise.
Outright odds — the lay of the land
| Team | Outright (decimal) | American | QF opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2.80 | +180 | Morocco |
| Spain | 4.70 | +370 | Belgium |
| Argentina | 4.90 | +390 | Switzerland |
| England | 5.60 | +460 | Norway |
| Norway | 15.0 | +1400 | England |
| Morocco | 28.0 | +2700 | France |
| Belgium | 31.0 | +3000 | Spain |
| Switzerland | 34.0 | +3300 | Argentina |
Source: FanDuel via FOX Sports, as of 2026-07-08 ~11:29 ET (figures approximate). Cross-book ranges: France 2.75–2.88; Spain 4.50–4.70; Argentina 4.00–5.00; England 5.00–5.70.
France are the clear favourite across every book. The real debate is Argentina vs Spain for second-favourite status — British books have Argentina as short as 4.00, ahead of Spain, while North American books reverse the order. For Canadian bettors on decimal-friendly platforms like Boomerang Bet, BetiBet or WinRolla, the best value is shopping the Argentina line across books.
The Canadian viewing guide
| Day | Match | ET | PT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday July 9 | France vs Morocco | 4:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| Friday July 10 | Spain vs Belgium | 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM |
| Saturday July 11 | Norway vs England | 5:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| Saturday July 11 | Argentina vs Switzerland | 9:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
Saturday’s doubleheader is the showcase day — four hours of continuous quarterfinal football from 5:00 PM ET through to roughly midnight.
- France vs Morocco (today, 4:00 PM ET) is the headline tie — a 2022 semi-final rematch with a referee controversy attached.
- Spain’s four consecutive clean sheets make them the bracket’s most solid defensive unit; Belgium’s loss of Onana is a major blow.
- Norway are in their first-ever QF; England arrive without Quansah, Henderson, and possibly Reece James.
- Messi leads the Golden Boot with 8 goals; Argentina vs Switzerland closes Saturday’s doubleheader at 9:00 PM ET.
- France 2.80, Spain 4.70, Argentina 4.90 — the outright market has separated the top three from the rest.
Source links
- QF schedule and bracket: Yahoo Sports; Al Jazeera; Olympics; FOX; CBS (2026-07-08)
- 1X2 odds: DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, SuperBook via CBS/SportsLine, Squawka, DK Network (2026-07-07/08, figures approximate)
- Outright odds and ranges: FanDuel via FOX Sports; ESPN; TNT Sports (2026-07-08)
- Injuries: ESPN; Yahoo; Al Jazeera; Goal.com; Sky Sports; RotoWire (2026-07-07/09)
- Weather: NWS forecasts (BOX, LOX, MFL, EAX), obtained 2026-07-09
- Neville quote: Sky Sports (2026-07-07)
