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Evening Standard

8 July 2026

After 27 consecutive days of action, the schedule is clear

The 2026

World Cup

has reached the quarter-final stage, with the final eight teams now just three victories away from lifting football's biggest prize.

After an expanded tournament featuring 48 nations and the introduction of a new round of 32, the knockout phase has narrowed the field to eight sides competing for a place in the semi-finals.

France will face

Morocco

in the opening quarter-final on Thursday, with the winners progressing to the last four.

Spain

take on

Belgium

on Friday in what promises to be another closely contested encounter.

England's reward for their extra-time victory over Mexico is a quarter-final meeting with

Norway

on Saturday, while

Argentina

complete the line-up against

Switzerland

later the same day.

The semi-finals will be played on 14 and 15 July, with the third-place play-off scheduled for 18 July before the tournament concludes with the

final on 19 July.

But all of this means that there is a pause in the action.

After 27 consecutive days of action across the United States, Canada and Mexico,

FIFA

has built a rest day into the tournament schedule, allowing the eight remaining teams additional time to recover, travel and prepare for the final stages of the competition.

The expanded 48-team tournament has featured 104 matches, making it the longest

in history.

As the knockout rounds progress, fixtures become more spread out to provide teams with adequate recovery time between matches.

The one-day break is the first of several scheduled pauses before the tournament concludes on 19 July.

Additional rest days are planned between the quarter-finals and semi-finals, and again before the final, helping to reduce player workload during the latter stages of the competition.

While supporters may have become accustomed to daily

football over the past four weeks, the tournament now follows a more traditional knockout rhythm, with fewer matches and greater emphasis on preparation and recovery.

England’s Harry Kane (centre), England’s Declan Rice (centre left), Jude Bellingham (left) and team-mates celebrating the win over Mexico (PA)

PA Wire

(UK times)

England booked their place in the last eight after overcoming Mexico in the round of 16, while

produced one of the surprises of the tournament by eliminating five-time champions Brazil.

France advanced with a narrow victory over Paraguay,

comfortably defeated Canada,

edged past Iberian rivals Portugal,

saw off the United States,

overcame Egypt and

progressed on penalties after a goalless draw with Colombia.

The winners of

France

and

will meet in the first semi-final, while the victors from

England

will contest the second, with a place in the

final at stake.

Friday, July 10

Saturday, July 11

Sunday, July 12

Follow all the action LIVE with Standard Sport!

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