World Cup 2026 Updates: Full Bracket, Semifinal Schedule and the Golden Boot Race

Quick answer: The 2026 FIFA World Cup is down to its final six teams. France and Spain have already booked semifinal spots, with France facing Spain on Tuesday, July 14 in Arlington, Texas. The last two quarterfinals Norway vs. England and Argentina vs. Switzerland are being played Saturday, July 11, and their winners meet in the second semifinal on Wednesday, July 15 in Atlanta. The final is Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are tied atop the Golden Boot race with eight goals each.

The biggest World Cup ever the first with 48 teams, hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada is entering its final week, and the storylines are stacking up fast. Here’s a complete, continuously updated rundown of the bracket, the schedule, and every major storyline worth tracking before the final on July 19.

World Cup Game Today: What’s Happening Right Now

If you’re searching “is there a world cup game today” or “world cup game today,” yes Saturday, July 11 features the last two quarterfinals of the tournament:

• Norway vs. England 5:00 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
• Argentina vs. Switzerland 9:00 p.m. ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Both winners advance to face each other in the second semifinal on July 15. Norway arrives having stunned Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16 behind a Haaland double, while Argentina survived a round-of-16 thriller against Egypt, coming from behind late to advance.

Full World Cup 2026 Bracket and Schedule

Here’s the complete path to the final, including every confirmed date, kickoff time, and venue:

Semifinal 1 (confirmed): France vs. Spain Tuesday, July 14, 3:00 p.m. ET, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Quarterfinals still to be played (Saturday, July 11): Norway vs. England (5:00 p.m. ET, Miami Gardens); Argentina vs. Switzerland (9:00 p.m. ET, Kansas City)

Semifinal 2: Norway/England vs. Argentina/Switzerland Wednesday, July 15, 3:00 p.m. ET, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Third-place match: Semifinal losers Saturday, July 18, 5:00 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

World Cup 2026 final: Semifinal winners Sunday, July 19, 3:00 p.m. ET, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

That means the final could realistically feature any combination of France, Spain, Norway, England, Argentina, or Switzerland a genuinely wide-open finish to a tournament that started with 48 teams.

France vs. Spain: Breaking Down the First Confirmed Semifinal

France reached the semifinals for the third consecutive World Cup after winning in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2022 with a comfortable 2-0 win over Morocco, Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scoring in the second half. As ESPN’s coverage of the day noted, Didier Deschamps’ side has looked mostly unstoppable through the knockout rounds, with a forward line that also includes Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Michael Olise generating more shots than any other team left in the tournament.

Spain, meanwhile, is back in the semifinals for the first time since winning the World Cup outright in 2010. La Roja needed a stoppage-time winner from substitute Mikel Merino to beat Portugal in the round of 16, then relied on Merino again this time in the 88th minute to see off Belgium 2-1 in the quarterfinal. The France-Spain matchup pits the two top-ranked teams in FIFA’s live rankings against each other before either has even reached the final, arguably the toughest possible draw at this stage of the tournament.

The Golden Boot Race: Mbappé, Messi and Haaland

The race for the tournament’s Golden Boot awarded to the top individual goal scorer has become one of this World Cup’s defining storylines. Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are currently tied at the top with eight goals apiece, with Mbappé holding the edge on FIFA’s first tiebreaker (assists) after his goal against Morocco in the quarterfinal. Messi, at 39 and playing in his sixth and presumably final World Cup, became the all-time leading goal scorer in men’s World Cup history earlier in the tournament, passing Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record.

Erling Haaland sits just one goal behind at seven, fresh off a brace that helped Norway eliminate Brazil in the round of 16, while England captain Harry Kane trails on six after a penalty-spot goal against Mexico. Ousmane Dembélé, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Jude Bellingham remain in the wider conversation, and with two knockout rounds still to play, the Golden Boot race is expected to stay unsettled until the final whistle of the tournament.

Other Major Storylines Shaping This World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo’s tournament ended in the round of 16 when Portugal fell to Spain, closing out what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance. Brazil’s campaign ended earlier than expected too, eliminated by Norway in the round of 16 a result that preceded Neymar’s announcement that he was retiring from international football, closing a two-decade chapter for the Seleção.

On the other side of the bracket, England has leaned heavily on Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to survive a testing route that included a penalty shootout-adjacent scare against Mexico in the round of 16, while Argentina’s title defense has repeatedly needed late drama, most notably its comeback win over Egypt to reach the quarterfinals.

How to Watch World Cup 2026 Today

In the United States, FOX and FOX One carry the English-language broadcast of every remaining match, with Telemundo providing Spanish-language coverage. If you’re asking “what time is the world cup game today,” kickoff times for the U.S. broadcast window are listed above for each fixture; check your regional FIFA broadcast partner if you’re outside North America, since rights vary by country.

World Cup 2026 Final Venue and Tickets

The final is set for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19 the same venue that will also host other marquee matches across the tournament. Tickets for the final, third-place match, and remaining semifinals are managed through FIFA’s official ticketing portal, with resale and hospitality packages also available through licensed secondary marketplaces; official FIFA channels remain the safest way to confirm authenticity and pricing for World Cup 2026 tickets at this late stage of the tournament.

FBI Investigates Argentine Football Association Over $300 Million Fraud Probe

Away from the bracket, one of this tournament’s biggest off-field storylines involves the reigning champions. The FBI and U.S. Department of Justice have opened a preliminary investigation into the Argentine Football Association (AFA) over alleged money laundering and bank fraud tied to more than $300 million in transactions routed through the U.S. financial system, as first reported by Argentina’s La Nación and confirmed by outlets including UPI and the Miami Herald.

Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C. and the Southern District of Florida are examining how AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia’s organization structured international sponsorship deals through TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida company formed in 2021 that handled payments from sponsors including Adidas and Warner Bros. Discovery via accounts at Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, and PNC Bank. Argentine businessman Guillermo Tofoni has already been interviewed by federal investigators in Miami as part of the probe, which is separate from Tapia’s existing tax case in Argentina.

No criminal charges have been filed in the U.S. or Argentina, and AFA representatives have publicly stressed the presumption of innocence. The investigation hasn’t affected Argentina’s on-field World Cup 2026 run Lionel Messi and the reigning champions advanced past Egypt in the round of 16 and remain among the tournament favorites heading into their quarterfinal against Switzerland.

Top 10 Standout Goals of World Cup 2026 So Far

From Haaland’s underbar volley to Messi’s late-game heroics against Egypt, here are ten of the tournament’s most talked-about goals through the quarterfinals:

Conclusion: Where the World Cup 2026 Bracket Stands Today

With two semifinal slots already locked in France and Spain both punching their tickets to Arlington on July 14 the 2026 World Cup has reached the stage where every remaining match carries final-four stakes. Saturday’s Norway-England and Argentina-Switzerland quarterfinals will decide the other half of the bracket, and however that shakes out, the second semifinal in Atlanta on July 15 is guaranteed to feature at least one team chasing its first World Cup final since a generational core of stars Haaland, Bellingham, Messi took over their national teams. As FIFA’s own Golden Boot tracker shows, the individual scoring race between Mbappé and Messi is likely to run all the way to the final on July 19, giving this tournament two of its biggest storylines team and individual a chance to be decided on the very same afternoon at MetLife Stadium.

FAQs: World Cup 2026 Updates

Is there a World Cup game today?

Yes. Saturday, July 11 features the tournament’s final two quarterfinals: Norway vs. England and Argentina vs. Switzerland.

When is the next World Cup game?

After Saturday’s quarterfinals, the next match is the confirmed semifinal between France and Spain on Tuesday, July 14 in Arlington, Texas.

What is the World Cup 2026 bracket right now?

France and Spain have confirmed semifinal spots. The winners of Norway vs. England and Argentina vs. Switzerland will meet in the second semifinal on July 15.

When is the World Cup 2026 final?

Sunday, July 19, at 3:00 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Who is leading the Golden Boot race?

Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are tied with eight goals each, with Mbappé ahead on FIFA’s assist tiebreaker. Erling Haaland is one goal back with seven.

Has Lionel Messi broken the World Cup all-time scoring record?

Yes. Messi passed Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals in men’s World Cup history during this tournament.

Is Cristiano Ronaldo still in the World Cup?

No. Ronaldo and Portugal were eliminated in the round of 16 by Spain, in what’s expected to be his final World Cup appearance.

Did Brazil make the World Cup 2026 quarterfinals?

No. Brazil was eliminated by Norway in the round of 16, a result that preceded Neymar’s retirement from international football.

Where is the World Cup 2026 final being played?

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.

How can I watch the World Cup today?

In the U.S., matches air on FOX, FOX One, and Telemundo (Spanish-language). Broadcast partners vary outside North America.

 Read more:

France vs Morocco: World Cup 2026 Quarterfinal | Kickoff Time, Lineups and Prediction

World Cup 2026 Quarter Finals Full Schedule, Teams, Predictions & Path to the Final