At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the number of teams has been reduced from 48 to eight, and with it the margin for error has disappeared. The quarter-finals promise heavyweight showdowns, redemption stories and dream races. While some contenders made it through the knockout rounds with confidence, others survived by the thinnest of margins.
The 2026 World Cup quarter-finals begin on Friday
France still looks like the team to beat in North America. Although Didier Deschamps’ side looked vulnerable to Paraguay’s stubborn low block and their dangerous attack was blunted for long periods, Kylian Mbappe’s second-half penalty was enough to secure a 1-0 victory. Reigning champions Argentina, meanwhile, cruised through the group stage with ease but lived precariously in the knockout stages, most notably recovering from a 2-0 defeat against Egypt in a dramatic escape in the last 16.
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Spain quietly gained momentum after a poor start. Norway and Belgium have emerged as genuine title contenders, and Morocco’s remarkable win further underlined why they remain football’s most dangerous underdogs. England, too, repeatedly found a way out when the pressure was highest.
The quarter-finals are just around the corner and here’s what the eight remaining teams look like in our latest FIFA ratings.
Here are the latest FIFA team rankings
France, who climbed to first place after an impressive start to the tournament, retained top spot despite heavy pressure from Paraguay in the round of 16. Argentina, which arrived in North America as the number one team in the world, remains second. Although their thrilling comeback against Egypt kept their title defense intact, the performance itself did little to justify a return to the top.
Overall, six of the eight quarterfinalists are ranked in the top 10 in the world. Spain is in third place, followed by England in fourth. AFCON champions Morocco moved up one place to sixth, becoming the first African nation to reach back-to-back World Cup quarter-finals, while Belgium are in eighth place.
Two exceptions are Switzerland and Norway. Switzerland, which reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, moved up five places to 14th. Norway, who had their best World Cup campaign and reached the quarter-finals for the first time in the modern era, are the tournament’s leaders, up 12 places to 19th.
The quarter-finals begin on July 9 when France take on Morocco in Boston to begin the round of 16 stage.