June 24, Kathmandu – After an exhilarating and historic competition involving 48 teams, the lineup for the ‘Final Eight’ of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been finalized. The dramatic knockout phase was highlighted by the resilient defense of former champion Argentina, the miraculous rise of Norway that stunned Brazil, and the surprising early exits of host nations. The undefeated runs of Spain and France, alongside the strong defensive strategies of Morocco and Switzerland, have added intriguing dimensions to the race for the World Cup title. These eight formidable teams have navigated one of the toughest and longest campaigns in football history and are now set to confront each other for the coveted golden trophy.
France dominated Group I, securing their place in the knockout stage as group winners. They achieved convincing victories over Senegal (3-1), Norway (4-1), and Iraq (3-0). In the Round of 32, France defeated Sweden 3-0, followed by a hard-fought 1-0 win against a defensively strong Paraguay in the Round of 16, courtesy of captain Kylian Mbappé’s decisive penalty goal, earning their spot in the quarterfinals.
Morocco, a semifinalist in 2022, once again impressed with outstanding performances, advancing as runners-up from Group C. During the group stage, Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil, narrowly defeated Scotland 1-0, and secured a comprehensive 4-2 win against Haiti. In the Round of 32, Morocco edged out the Netherlands in a tiebreaker and then dominated host nation Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 with a commanding performance.
Spain qualified for the knockout stage as Group H winners, remarkably yet to concede a single goal in this World Cup. Their group matches included a goalless draw against Cape Verde, a 4-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia, and a 1-0 victory against Uruguay. Spain continued their strong defensive form by beating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32. In the Round of 16, Spain claimed a thrilling 1-0 victory over neighboring rivals Portugal in the intense ‘Iberian Derby,’ thanks to an injury-time goal from Mikel Merino.
Upcoming fixtures:
France vs Morocco: June 26 (First Quarterfinal)
England vs Norway: June 27 (Second Quarterfinal)
Spain vs Belgium: June 28 (Third Quarterfinal)
Argentina vs Switzerland: June 28 (Fourth Quarterfinal)
