The 2026 FIFA Soccer World Cup is reaching its final stages, with the quarterfinals set to begin as eight teams remain in contention for the title. Reigning champions Argentina. Along with Belgium. England, France, Morocco, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland, will vie for a spot in the July 19 final in New Jersey, according to ESPN — the co-hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as well as traditional powerhouses like Brazil and Germany, have already been eliminated.

France’s Dominant Path to the Quarterfinals

France has advanced to the quarterfinals with a dominant performance, winning all five of its games and scoring 14 goals. Star players Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise have led the team’s attacking brilliance. France defeated Senegal (3-1), Iraq (3-0), Norway (4-1), and Sweden (3-0), according to ESPN. The team’s confidence is high as it prepares to face Morocco in what is being called a “Top-Spiel” by n-tv.de.

Argentina’s Key Win Over Egypt and Controversy

Argentina’s journey to the quarterfinals was not without controversy. A 5-2 win over Egypt was marred by contentious officiating decisions, including a disallowed goal and a late equalizer by Lionel Messi, according to The Guardian and ESPN. The Egypt Football Association (FA) stated that “several key incidents raised serious concerns” about the fairness of the match. Egypt coach Hassan claimed his team was the victim of an “injustice,” suggesting FIFA wanted to keep Messi in the tournament. The match also saw a red card for Egypt’s goalkeeping coach and multiple yellow cards for players protesting Argentina’s final goal.

Global Attention and Attendance Records

The 2026 FIFA Soccer World Cup has broken attendance records despite some games being played with empty seats in the group stage. The average attendance per game is 65,204, according to Watson, slightly below the 1994 average of 68,991. However, with 96 matches already played and over 6 million total spectators, the tournament has far surpassed the 1994 mark in total attendance. The Aztekenstadion in Mexico City has been the most-visited venue with 404,120 fans. Meanwhile, the Swiss national team’s quarterfinal matchup against Colombia drew 1.18 million viewers on SRF, with a market share of 78.3 percent.