TASHKENT, July 8. /Dunyo IA/. The lineup for the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been finalized. Following the completion of the Round of 16, six European national teams, along with one representative each from Africa and South America, remain in contention for the title, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The Round of 16 featured a series of hard-fought and entertaining matches. France edged Paraguay 1-0 to book its place in the quarterfinals. One of the biggest upsets of the round came as Norway defeated five-time world champions Brazil 2-1, eliminating the South American giants from the tournament.

England secured a 3-2 victory over Mexico in a high-scoring encounter, while Belgium cruised past the United States with a convincing 4-1 win.

Argentina, the 2022 FIFA World Cup champion, made a remarkable comeback against Egypt. Trailing 0-2 during the match, the Argentines rallied to claim a 3-2 victory. Team captain Lionel Messi once again led by example, increasing his goal tally at this World Cup to eight.

The clash between Switzerland and Colombia ended goalless after both regular and extra time. Switzerland secured its place in the quarterfinals by winning the penalty shootout.

One of the most emotional moments of the Round of 16 was Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell to the FIFA World Cup. Portugal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain, bringing the veteran forward’s World Cup career to an end. As a result, the final World Cup goal of Ronaldo’s career was the one he scored against Uzbekistan. Earlier, the Portuguese star set a unique record by scoring in six consecutive FIFA World Cups.

The quarterfinal line up includes six European teams – France, Spain, Belgium, Norway, England, and Switzerland. Morocco is the sole African representative, while Argentina is the only South American team remaining in the tournament.

The quarterfinal matches will begin on July 10 (all times listed are Tashkent time):

France vs. Morocco – 1:00 a.m., July 10 (night of July 9–10);

Norway vs. England – 12:00 a.m., July 11 (night of July 10–11);

Spain vs. Belgium – 2:00 a.m., July 12 (night of July 11–12);

Argentina vs. Switzerland – 6:00 a.m., July 12 (night of July 11–12).