England Argentina World Cup semifinal is set after England and Argentina won dramatic quarterfinal matches in Miami and Kansas City, advancing to the last four.
England Argentina World Cup semifinal set as quarterfinals end
England beat Norway 2-1 in Miami after extra time, while defending champion Argentina defeated Switzerland 3-1 in Kansas City, according to FIFA match reports.
Teams at the Miami match held a moment of silence for South African midfielder Jayed Adams before kickoff, tournament officials said. The quarterfinal between England and Norway produced an early lead for Norway when winger Andreas Schjelderup finished from close range in the 36th minute.
England equalized in first-half stoppage time when Jude Bellingham met a cross from Anthony Gordon and finished at the far post, sending the match level at 1-1 at the break. The second half remained tight, and a Norway goal by Torbjørn Heggem in the 55th minute was disallowed after a VAR review found an earlier foul by Erling Haaland, FIFA said.
The match went into extra time. Three minutes into the first period of added time, Morgan Rogers saw a long-range shot saved by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland; Bellingham followed up and scored to give England a 2-1 lead. Bellingham finished with two goals, and his six tournament goals now tie him with teammate Harry Kane in the scoring charts, tournament statistics show.
England 2, Norway 1, England advanced to the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2018, FIFA confirmed.
Argentina edges Switzerland in Kansas City
In Kansas City, Argentina opened the scoring inside 10 minutes when captain Lionel Messi curled a corner to Alexis Mac Allister, who rose to head home and put Argentina ahead 1-0, FIFA match notes say.
Switzerland pressed and were rewarded in the 68th minute when Dan Ndoye finished from a Ricardo Rodriguez cross to level the score. The game swung again in the 72nd minute when Swiss forward Breel Embolo was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for simulation, leaving Switzerland with 10 men for the remainder of regulation time.
Extra time remained scoreless until the second period. Julián Álvarez, who started the match for Argentina, ran onto a long pass from Rodrigo De Paul and struck a powerful shot from the edge of the box that curled into the top corner in the 108th minute to put Argentina ahead 2-1.
Late in stoppage time, substitute Lautaro Martínez followed up on a saved shot and finished from close range to make the final score Argentina 3, Switzerland 1, FIFA reported. The win sends Argentina into the semifinals as the defending champions pursue back-to-back titles.
Semifinal preview, quotes and what to watch
The semifinal between England and Argentina will be played in Atlanta, and it has been widely described as a preview to the final because both teams are among the tournament favorites. England Argentina World Cup narratives now center on whether England can end a long title drought, and whether Argentina can secure consecutive World Cup wins.
England manager Thomas Tuchel said after the match he was not satisfied with his team’s overall performance, but he praised their resilience under pressure. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni hailed Messi and the strike partnership of Álvarez and Martínez as crucial to the team’s title defense.
FIFA statistics show Bellingham and Kane lead England’s scoring so far, while tournament leaders Argentina rely on a blend of set-piece quality and attacking depth. England Argentina World Cup attention will shift to Atlanta where both teams are expected to field strong lineups for a semifinal that could shape the title race.
Match schedules and kickoff times will be announced by FIFA, tournament organizers said. Fans and broadcasters worldwide are expected to tune in for what many expect to be one of the tournament’s marquee showdowns.