The final quarterfinal match of the 2026 World Cup features the favorites!

Argentina and Switzerland will face off in the early hours of the morning (4:00 a.m.) in Kansas City, with both teams vying for the final spot to complete the semifinal lineup. There, whichever team secures the coveted spot will face the winner of the Norway vs. England match.

On the one hand, Argentina finished first in its group with a perfect 3-0 record against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, while in its first knockout match it struggled immensely but ultimately prevailed 3-2 in extra time against the heroic Cape Verde. Their task in the Round of 16 proved even more difficult; as they found themselves down 2-0 against Egypt, but ultimately staged a comeback of epic proportions, ultimately securing a 3-2 victory thanks to three goals scored from the 79th minute onward.

With the incredible Lionel Messi as the undisputed star—who has scored 8 goals and sits atop the list of this year’s top scorers— he has once again made his presence felt and is leading the team as its undisputed leader toward the ultimate goal of becoming back-to-back World Champions. Scaloni has no injury concerns, with all his players ready for action.

On the other hand, Switzerland heads into tonight’s big match as the underdog, having already lived out its dream having reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since way back in 1954. Their World Cup run has been consistently strong, however, as they reached the round of 16 in Brazil, Russia, and Qatar. This year, they’re looking to surpass themselves and take it to the next level.

It finished at the top of its group with 7 points, starting with a 1-1 draw against Qatar but then defeating Bosnia (4-1) and Canada (2-1), while in the knockout stage, they initially defeated Algeria 2-0 before celebrating a victory on penalty kicks against Colombia, following a 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time.

On the field, the Swiss national team’s prodigy, Johan Manzabi, remains sidelined; he has not recovered from the injury that has been plaguing him and is not ready to see playing time. Zake and Ebischer also remain out of action.

Probable starting lineups:

Argentina (Scaloni): Martínez – Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Tagliafico – Paredes, De Paul, McAllister, Fernández – Messi, Lautaro

Switzerland (Yakin): Kobel – Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodríguez – Freuler, Zakaria – Vargas, Rieder, Endo – Embolo

Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)

*photo source: AP