Can the World Cup ride continue for Lionel Messi or will Switzerland pull off an all-time upset?
Defending champion Argentina heads into Saturday’s quarterfinal against Switzerland in Kansas City after needing a high-wire act to win each of its last two knockout games.
Lionel Scaloni’s squad survived a scare against Egypt, erasing a 2-0 deficit in the final minutes to escape with a 3-2 win. Messi, who leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, remains the World Cup’s main event, but Argentina’s defense has looked vulnerable.
Meanwhile, the Swiss are navigating uncharted territory, reaching their first quarterfinal in 72 years after a penalty shootout win over Colombia. Losing top scorer Johan Manzambi to a knee injury severely damages the team’s chances.
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Where to watch Argentina vs Switzerland
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Argentina olds a 1-0 lead in Kansas City courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s goal in the 10th minute. The defending champions are just 45 minutes away from a semifinal date with England.
The Swiss have remained positive since falling behind and have applied pressure on Argentina in its own penalty area in the 34th minute.
Argentina has been pushing for a second in Kansas City as we reach the game’s unofficial quarter mark.
The video board has several times shown a woman with a sign reading “I’ve lived through every World Cup” That would put the Argentina fan born in 1930, the year of the first World Cup, at the latest. The next World Cup will take place in 2030, with matches in Uruguay – where the first tournament took place – Argentina and Paraguay to celebrate the centennial before the rest of the tournament is contested in Spain, Portugal and Morocco
Argentina takes 1-0 lead in the 10th minute on Alexis Mac Allister’s absolutely perfect looping header from Lionel Messi’s corner kick.
How will Switzerland respond?
KANSAS CITY, MO — Argentina is sporting black armbands in its World Cup quarterfinal match against Swizterland, mourning the loss of a player with an outsized impact on the sport of soccer.
The Argentine Football Association requested FIFA for permission to wear the armbands as a gesture of mourning for Antonio Rattin, who died at age 89 after a suspected stroke, according to his family.
That permission was granted, with players able to put the black band around the white sleeves of their primary jersey in Saturday night’s final eight matchup.
We’re underway in this World Cup quarterfinal with the winner moving on to face England.
The matchup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET.
It’s tougher to hear the Switzerland song, but we get the Swiss XI as well and their song.
The fans are now singing along with the 2000 Yerba Brava anthem “Cumbia de los Trapos”, which is about a fan who always goes to see his team heading to the stadium with his friends.
It’s also the song Argentina plays after a victory, so Albiceleste fans will hope they’re singing it again here in about two hours and change.
Lionel Messi is shown on the big screen here at the stadium typically known as Arrowhead Stadium, and he gets a big roar.
This is the second time Messi and Co. have played at this facility in the World Cup, but they’ve become well-known in the market, with their base camp hotel in north Kansas City and their training in Kansas City, Kan.
Argentina’s starting lineup is unchanged from the round of 16 win over Egypt:
GK: Dibu Martinez
DF: Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolás Tagliafico
MF: Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister
FW: Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez
Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel
Defenders: Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez
Midfield: Denis Zakaria, Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka (C), Djibril Sow, Fabian Rieder
Attack: Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye
- 8 goals – Lionel Messi, Argentina 🇦🇷
- 8 goals – Kylian Mbappe, France 🇫🇷
- 7 goals – Erling Haaland, Norway🇳🇴
- 6 goals – Harry Kane, England 🏴
- 6 goals – Jude Bellingham, England 🏴
- 5 goals – Ousmane Dembele, France 🇫🇷
The quarterfinal match is being held at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Seth Vertelney: Argentina 1-1 Switzerland (Argentina wins on penalties)
They can’t keep getting away with it, right? Argentina has barely escaped Cape Verde and Egypt in the knockout round, and an organized Swiss side should take them to the limit. In the end, Messi and Co. advance on penalties.
Jon Arnold: Argentina 2-0 Switzerland
Argentina certainly hasn’t been making it easy on itself or on star attacker Lionel Messi. Yet, stylistically this game may look more like the group match against Austria than the Cape Verde or Egypt contests. Advantage, Argentina.
Jesse Yomtov: Argentina 3-0 Switzerland
After being gifted the win against Egypt, Argentina bounces back with a big win in its incredibly easy path to the semifinal.
Victoria Hernandez: Argentina 2-1 Switzerland
I don’t think Argentina is going to repeat its title, but I also don’t think Switzerland is the one who is going to knock out Lionel Messi, especially without Johan Manzambi. La Albiceleste survives one more round.
Round of 16
- July 4: France def Paraguay – Philadelphia
- July 4: Morocco def Canada – Houston
- July 5: Norway def Brazil – East Rutherford
- July 5: England def Mexico – Mexico City
- July 6: Spain def Portugal – Arlington
- July 6: Belgium def USA – Seattle
- July 7: Argentina def Egypt – Atlanta
- July 7: Switzerland def Colombia – Vancouver
Quarterfinals
- July 9: France def Morocco – Foxborough
- July 10: Spain vs. Belgium – Inglewood
- July 11: Norway vs. England – Miami
- July 11: Argentina vs. Switzerland – Kansas City
Semifinals
- July 14: France vs. Spain – Arlington
- July 15: Norway/England vs. Argentina/Switzerland – Atlanta
Final
- July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Lionel Messi plays his club ball for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Lionel Messi is 39 years old and celebrated his birthday during this World Cup.
Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
- 2022: Argentina
- 2018: France
- 2014: Germany
- 2010: Spain
- 2006: Italy
- 2002: Brazil
- 1998: France
- 1994: Brazil
- 1990: West Germany
- 1986: Argentina
- 1982: Italy
- 1978: Argentina
- 1974: West Germany
- 1970: Brazil
- 1966: England
- 1962: Brazil
- 1958: Brazil
- 1954: West Germany
- 1950: Uruguay
- 1938: Italy
- 1934: Italy
- 1930: Uruguay
Argentina midfielder Enzo Martinez plays for Chelsea in the English Premier League.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi has eight goals through five matches at the 2026 World Cup, breaking the all-time career World Cup scoring record in the process.
The 2034 FIFA World Cup wlll be held in Saudi Arabia.
Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister plays for Liverpool and won a league title with the team in 2024-25.
The Argentina vs. Switzerland World Cup quarterfinal kicks off at 8 p.m. Central Time.
Lionel Messi has won the World Cup once, the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Argentina reached the final in 2014, the third of Messi’s six career World Cup appearances.
Argentina’s quarterfinal against Switzerland is being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Argentina defender Cristian Romero plays club soccer for Tottenham.
Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez plays for Inter Milan in Italy.
If a knockout stage game is tied the end of regulation, the match goes into 30 minutes of extra time (two 15-minute halves) and then penalty kicks if the game is still level after 120 minutes.
The 2026 World Cup is Lionel Messi’s sixth appearance in the world’s biggest tournament, making his debut at the 2006 edition in Germany.
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka is 33 years old and spent the 2025-26 season with Sunderland in the English Premier League.
Argentina’s game against Switzerland kicks off at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be played Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Xherdan Shaqiri played in four World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022) for Switzerland but retired from the national team in 2024.
Shaqiri, now 34, plays for Swiss club FC Basel.
The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina will also each host one match to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez plays for Aston Villa in the English Premier League.
