The 2026 World Cup quarter-finals are set after an enthralling round of 16 across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Eight nations remain, each just three wins from glory. Reigning champions Argentina are still in the running after a comeback against Egypt, joined by European giants Spain and France. England advanced with a brilliant win over Mexico at the Azteca. First-time winners are possible, with Norway, Morocco, Belgium, and Switzerland also in the quarter-finals. Mirror Football ranks the chances of each side.
1) France
Didier Deschamps' side entered as favourites and have only strengthened their case. Les Bleus eased through the group stage and beat Sweden in the round of 32. The round of 16 required a Kylian Mbappe penalty to overcome Paraguay, but France remain the best side and most people's bet for the trophy.
2) Spain
Spain have had a near-perfect tournament, barring their opening game against Cape Verde. They have won four consecutive matches and are yet to concede a goal. The round of 16 victory over Portugal required a late Mikel Merino strike, but Spain's quality across the pitch makes them a strong contender for the final.
3) England
Thomas Tuchel's men have been inconsistent—either sensational or sub-par. However, their round of 16 performance against Mexico was one of their most memorable results. England took the initiative in the first half and defended resolutely. They will aim to use that experience to go deeper into the competition.
4) Argentina
The reigning champions survived an almighty scare against Egypt, coming from 2-0 down with three late goals to keep their hopes of a second consecutive World Cup alive. Lionel Scaloni's side have looked vulnerable in the knockout rounds, squeezing past Cape Verde before beating Egypt. But with Lionel Messi, the all-time World Cup top goalscorer, anything is possible.
5) Norway
Erling Haaland has surpassed expectations with seven goals already, including two against Brazil in the round of 32. Norway have plenty of quality beyond Haaland and will aim to harness it against England in the quarter-finals.
6) Morocco
After reaching the semi-finals in 2022, Morocco have enjoyed another productive run under Mohamed Ouahbi. They dominated co-hosts Canada in the round of 16 and have earned positive results against the Netherlands and Brazil. However, with France to come in the quarter-finals, their World Cup could end soon.
7) Belgium
Rudi Garcia's Belgium have yet to fully convince, winning only one group game and needing extra time to beat Senegal. But they hit their stride with a 4-1 win over co-hosts USA in the round of 16. An aging squad and a quarter-final against Spain, the reigning European champions, make it hard to rank them higher.
8) Switzerland
Switzerland performed well in the group stage and beat Algeria in the round of 32. However, they only squeezed past Colombia on penalties and face Argentina in the quarter-finals. They do not look like World Cup winners, and it would take a miracle for them to advance.
