Argentina stands alone as the Americas’ last hope in the 2026 World Cup

Argentina edged past Egypt 3-2 on July 7 in Atlanta to punch their ticket to the World Cup quarterfinals. In doing so, they became the sole surviving team from the entire Western Hemisphere in a tournament being played, somewhat ironically, across three American nations.

That’s right. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and all three host nations are already watching from the couch. Add Brazil to that list, and you’ve got a continental wipeout that would have seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago.

A continent of early exits

Brazil, the most decorated nation in World Cup history, fell 2-1 to Norway in the Round of 16.

Argentina’s path forward

The reigning champions now face the winner of Switzerland versus Colombia, scheduled for July 11 at Kansas City Stadium.

Look at the quarterfinal field alongside Argentina: Morocco, France, Norway, England, Spain, and Belgium. That’s five European nations and one African squad.

Here’s the thing about Argentina’s position. They won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and they’re now attempting something only a handful of teams have ever accomplished: back-to-back titles. Italy did it in 1934 and 1938. Brazil pulled it off in 1958 and 1962.

What the expanded format really means

The 2026 tournament is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, up from the 32-team format that had been standard since 1998.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.