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Argentina’s 2026 World Cup run is about more than defending a title. It’s about carving a line in the record books that very few national teams have even approached.
If Argentina beats Switzerland in their quarterfinal clash on July 12 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, the team will extend its unbeaten World Cup streak to 12 consecutive matches, tying Italy for the longest such run in the tournament’s history.
The streak, by the numbers
Argentina currently sits at 11 World Cup matches without a loss. That run dates back to the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where Lionel Messi and company lifted the trophy after one of the most dramatic finals ever played. The streak includes 9 wins and 2 draws, making it the longest unbeaten run in Argentina’s own World Cup history.
Italy’s record of 12 unbeaten matches has stood as the benchmark for decades. Matching it would place Argentina alongside a nation that has won four World Cups.
Argentina’s path to this quarterfinal included a 3-2 victory over Egypt in the round of 16.
Switzerland’s unlikely run
Switzerland reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. The last time Switzerland was at this stage of a World Cup, Dwight Eisenhower was president and color television was still a novelty. They earned their spot by beating Colombia in a penalty shootout.
The bigger prize: back-to-back titles
A tournament win would make Argentina the first team since Brazil in 1958-1962 to claim consecutive World Cup titles. Italy managed the same feat in 1934-1938.
The Kansas City venue adds its own wrinkle. Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, will host a crowd north of 70,000.
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