Defending champions Argentina kept their FIFA World Cup 2026 title defence alive with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Switzerland after extra time in the fourth quarter-final on Sunday. The win sends Lionel Messi’s side into the semi-finals, leaving them just two victories away from retaining the World Cup.
Argentina Seal Semi-Final Spot
Argentina made a bright start, with Alexis Mac Allister opening the scoring in the 10th minute to give the South American side an early 1-0 lead. The score remained unchanged at halftime despite both teams creating chances. Switzerland responded strongly after the break and found the equaliser in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye, forcing the match into extra time after neither side could find a winner in regulation.
In the second half of extra time, Julián Álvarez restored Argentina’s lead in the 112th minute before Lautaro Martínez added a third in stoppage time (121st minute) to secure a 3-1 victory.
Argentina Dominate the Statistics
Argentina controlled much of the contest, registering 22 shots compared to Switzerland’s 11. They also had seven shots on target, while Switzerland managed five, underlining Argentina’s attacking dominance throughout the match.
Extra-Time Brilliance Decides the Contest
Switzerland defended resolutely after drawing level, and the match appeared destined for a penalty shootout. However, Argentina’s quality shone through in extra time as Álvarez broke the deadlock before Martínez put the result beyond doubt with a late strike.
Semi-Final Clash Against England
With the victory, Argentina advanced to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, where they will face England in Atlanta. Switzerland, meanwhile, saw their World Cup campaign come to an end after another quarter-final exit. Argentina are now just two wins away from lifting a second consecutive FIFA World Cup title.