2026 World Cup Quarterfinals Preview: The Key Storyline For Every Team

Erling Haaland. Harry Kane. Kylian Mbappé. Lionel Messi. Lamine Yamal. The sheer amount of star power between the eight teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals is hard to comprehend, but easy to watch and enjoy. These teams aren’t here to have fun, though. The teams left standing — Argentina, Belgium, England, France, Morocco, Norway, Spain and Switzerland — have convinced themselves that they have a chance of lifting the World Cup trophy, and some for the first time in their country’s history. From here on out, it’s all business. Here are the key storylines for every team heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals: France vs. Morocco At 27 years old, Mbappé has already made 103 appearances for France and scored 63 goals. He’s the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. This is his third World Cup. The first two ended by winning the tournament and a runner-up finish. Another run to the final would put him among the best ever, and it would also likely keep him close to Messi in the race to be the leading goalscorer in the tournament’s history. If France wins the World Cup this year, Mbappé will be the one lifting the trophy. It would be a three-tournament run that very few players in history can match. Morocco made history in 2022 when it became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. Next for the Atlas Lions would be to make it to the final game. Morocco is through to the quarterfinals after beating the Netherlands in the round of 32 and then Canada in the round of 16. In both matchups, they have clearly been the superior team. Next for Morocco is a rematch of that semifinal against France. Striker Ismael Saibari left the win over Canada with an injury, but the team is hopeful he will be available to face France. Morocco will be the underdog against Les Bleus, but it has as good a chance than any team in the tournament to pull off an upset. Midfielder Azzedine Ounahi scored twice against Canada, while playmaker Brahim Diaz and right back Achraf Hakimi combined for the three assists. Morocco has the quality to win. Spain vs. Belgium Spain is known for its impressive possession-first game, featuring one of the best midfields in the world. So far, though, it’s the defense that has been the star of the tournament. La Roja has played five games at this World Cup, and it is yet to concede a goal. The back line of left back Marc Cucurella, center backs Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsí, right back Pedro Porro and goalkeeper Unai Simon have played all 180 minutes of the knockout stage together, and the unit might be impenetrable. Simon has gone 609 minutes without conceding a goal at the World Cup, which is the longest streak ever by a goalkeeper. Next up is Belgium, which has scored nine goals in its last two games against New Zealand and the United States. Thibaut Courtois is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world at 34 years old; Romelu Lukaku is showing he can still score goals at 33; Kevin De Bruyne can still pick a pass at 35; while even winger Leandro Trossard is still one of the best playmakers at the tournament at 31. Lukaku is coming off the bench and still making an impact, while De Bruyne didn’t feature against the USA. This is a new-look Belgium team, but it’s still synonymous with its veteran stars. Facing Spain will be Belgium’s toughest test yet. After an impressive comeback against Senegal and dominant display against the USA, the Red Devils will be confident. To win, though, it will need its veterans to lead the way, potentially with Lukaku having to make a key contribution off the bench. Norway vs. England Man, Viking, Monster — call him what you want, as long as you call him the most dominant striker on this planet, and possibly others. The only player that comes close? The player that will be starting opposite of him in the quarterfinal, Harry Kane. But Kane can’t stop Haaland; he can only hope to cancel out his goals with his own. So who can? Marc Guéhi, his teammate at Manchester City? Ezri Konsa, who held Haaland scoreless in their lone Premier League meeting last season? Or will it be Jordan Pickford, who Haaland scored three goals against last season? The answer will be some combination of the three, because though many have tried, there is no one person that can stop Haaland. England has been here before: a talented team with a good head of steam heading into a quarterfinals matchup it should win. And yet, the last time it made the final was in 1996, the only time it won the tournament, and the last time it won a title in any major tournament. Will this year be any different? Thomas Tuchel is certainly hoping so. The England coach made some controversial decisions with his roster selection, and so far, it hasn’t come back to haunt him. But a loss to Norway — a team ranked 14 spots below it in the FIFA rankings — would change all of that. Knockout Tournament Tuchel: the floor is yours. Argentina vs. Switzerland If the FIFA World Cup was a video game, Lionel Messi would have beaten it — platinumed it. He’s the tournament’s all-time leadiner in goals and assists, he’s won the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player twice, and, in 2022, he finally lifted the trophy after besting Kylian Mbappé and France in arguably the greatest final of all time. Now? Messi is after his second — and likely last — World Cup title. If he pulls it off, Messi will become the first player in World Cup history to win two World Cups while wearing the captain’s armband, and Argentina will become first back-to-back men’s World Cup champions since Brazil 64 years ago. It’s more than just bragging rights on the line; it’s World Cup immortality. Despite not being a world soccer power in the modern era, Switzerland has reached the quarterfinals three times: 1934, 1938 and 1954. However, it has never gotten over the hump, failing to advance in all three of its appearances. Yes, an argument can be made that Switzerland advancing to the quarterfinals over a World Cup dark horse in Colombia is an accomplishment in itself, but Switzerland won’t be thinking that way — certainly not after Argentina was nearly upset itself in the round of 16. Write Switzerland off at your own risk.