The quarterfinal round of the tournament promises high stakes as eight nations vie for a place in the semifinals, with matches spread across several U.S. venues.
Quarterfinal Landscape
Betting markets have positioned France as the clear favorite, sitting at just under two‑to‑one odds, while Spain and defending champion Argentina follow at seven‑to‑two and nine‑to‑two respectively, and England sits at nine‑to‑two.
France entered the knockout stage after a dominant group phase in which they outscored opponents ten to two, a performance highlighted by Kylian Mbappé’s 19th career World Cup goal.
Spain advanced with a 1‑0 victory over Uruguay and a dramatic stoppage‑time strike by Mikel Merino that saw them past Portugal, while Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, continues to chase a record tally of eight goals this year.
England’s round‑of‑16 clash with Mexico turned into a thriller, but the win came at a cost as veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson limped off with a wrist injury.
Norway’s campaign has been framed as the tournament’s Cinderella story, driven by Erling Haaland, who has already netted six and seven goals, including a pair that helped upset Brazil.
Other notable performances include Morocco’s surprise run after tying Brazil and eliminating the Netherlands on penalties, and Switzerland’s defensive approach that has yielded just nine goals in five matches.
The semifinal fixtures and the final are slated to be played in Texas, Georgia, and New Jersey, bringing the global spectacle to venues such as Arlington, Atlanta and East Rutherford.