Argentina survived a determined Egyptian comeback to keep their title defense alive, while Switzerland held their composure in a penalty shootout to eliminate Colombia after 120 scoreless minutes and reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals.
Argentina survived a spirited fightback from Egypt, while Switzerland edged Colombia in a tense penalty shootout as both nations secured places in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals following dramatic Round of 16 victories on Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8.
At Atlanta Stadium, defending champions Argentina overcame Egypt 3-2 in an entertaining contest that tested Lionel Scaloni’s side despite their dominance for much of the match.
Argentina took control early, with Lionel Messi opening the scoring before Julián Álvarez doubled the advantage, allowing the South Americans to dictate possession and tempo. Egypt responded with renewed intensity after halftime, reducing the deficit and briefly threatening an upset as they exploited gaps in Argentina’s defense.
The world champions restored breathing space with a third goal midway through the second half, but Egypt refused to fade away. A late strike set up a nervy finish, forcing Argentina to defend resolutely through the closing minutes before sealing a hard-fought 3-2 victory and booking their place in the quarterfinals.
In Vancouver, Switzerland and Colombia produced the tournament’s first goalless Round of 16 encounter, with neither side able to break the deadlock across 120 minutes at BC Place.
Colombia controlled long spells of possession and created the better opportunities, but Switzerland’s disciplined defensive organization and composed goalkeeping frustrated every attack. Switzerland, meanwhile, relied on counterattacks and remained compact throughout regulation and extra time, taking the match to penalties after a tense tactical battle ended 0-0.
The shootout proved equally dramatic. Switzerland held their nerve from the spot, converting four penalties to Colombia’s three to claim a 4-3 shootout victory and become the latest team to advance to the last eight.
The results complete another dramatic phase of the knockout stage, which has already seen several high-profile exits, including Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Portugal, and co-host Canada. Argentina now continue their title defense, while Switzerland remain one of the tournament’s surprise quarterfinalists after eliminating one of South America’s strongest sides.
With the quarterfinal lineup nearly complete, Argentina will look to continue their march toward back-to-back World Cup titles, while Switzerland will hope their disciplined performances can carry them even further in the competition.
