Same old story as Europe dominates quarter-finals
World Cup expansion to 48 teams has offered more of a chance to other continents, but a glance at the quarter-final line-up tells a familiar tale...
✨ Key Highlights
Despite the World Cup's expansion to 48 teams, the quarter-final lineup shows a continued dominance by European nations, with six of the eight remaining teams hailing from Europe.
- Six European nations (France, Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, and Switzerland) are in the quarter-finals.
- Notable exceptions include the reigning champions Argentina and Morocco, the sole African representative.
- Europe's concentrated wealth and talent development in football academies are cited as reasons for this ongoing dominance, even as other continents gain more berths.
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Mbappe Strikes Again as France Beat Morocco to Reach World Cup Semi-Finals - July 2026
Kylian Mbappe scored a spectacular goal and set up another as France defeated Morocco 2-0 to advance to the World Cup semi-finals. Morocco's head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has vowed that the Atlas Lions will return stronger after their 2026 World Cup quarter-final exit, aiming to build on their experience for future challenges and the 2030 World Cup which Morocco will co-host. At the same time, Lionel Messi led a remarkable comeback for Argentina despite missing a penalty, with the team still in contention for the World Cup. European champions Spain aim to secure a World Cup semi-final clash with France by defeating Belgium in a quarter-final match on Friday. Meanwhile, despite the World Cup's expansion to 48 teams, the quarter-final lineup shows continued dominance by European nations, with six of the eight remaining teams hailing from Europe.
