World Cup 2026 — Daily Brief
July 7, 2026
Yesterday’s Results — Round of 16
-
Portugal 0-1 Spain — AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Merino 90+1’)
A tight Iberian derby decided by Mikel Merino’s late strike. Portugal pushed hard but couldn’t break through Spain’s defence. -
United States 1-4 Belgium — Lumen Field, Seattle
Host nation USA eliminated after a dominant Belgian display. De Ketelaere, Vanaken, and a late Lukaku strike (90+3’) sealed it; Tillman pulled one back for the Americans.
Today’s Fixtures — Round of 16
- Argentina vs Egypt — Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (12:00 ET)
- Switzerland vs Colombia — BC Place, Vancouver (13:00 PT)
Knockout Bracket (Current)
Round of 16 (completed)
- Paraguay 0-1 France
- Canada 0-3 Morocco
- Brazil 1-2 Norway
- Mexico 2-3 England
- Portugal 0-1 Spain
- USA 1-4 Belgium
- Argentina vs Egypt — today
- Switzerland vs Colombia — today
Quarter-final matchups (July 9-11)
- France vs Morocco — July 9, Foxborough
- Spain vs Belgium — July 10, Inglewood
- Norway vs England — July 11, Miami Gardens
- Winner (Argentina/Egypt) vs Winner (Switzerland/Colombia) — July 11, Kansas City
Semifinals
- Winner QF1 vs Winner QF2 — July 14, Arlington
- Winner QF3 vs Winner QF4 — July 15, Atlanta
Final: July 19 — MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Third place: July 18 — Miami Gardens
Golden Boot Race
Lionel Messi (ARG), Kylian Mbappé (FRA), and Erling Haaland (NOR) are tied at 7 goals each.
Highlight of the Day
Belgium’s 4-1 demolition of co-host USA in Seattle sent shockwaves through the tournament — the first time a host nation has been eliminated before the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Spain edged Portugal in a cagey encounter to set up a compelling quarter-final against Belgium.
Source: Wikipedia / FIFA World Cup 2026