Atlanta/Vancouver, July 7, 2026: The FIFA World Cup entered a decisive phase on Tuesday as defending champions Argentina prepared to face Egypt in Atlanta, while Switzerland and Colombia were set to battle for a place in the quarter-finals in the final two last-16 matches of the tournament.
Argentina go into their clash against Egypt as clear favourites, with the South American side looking to keep alive their title defence. The two sides last met in an international friendly in Cairo in 2008, when Argentina secured a 2-0 victory through goals from Sergio Aguero and Nicolas Burdisso.
The Albiceleste have also enjoyed a strong record against African opposition at the World Cup and are widely backed to advance. According to Opta’s pre-match simulations, Argentina have a 69.1 per cent chance of winning within 90 minutes, while Egypt’s chances of pulling off an upset stand at 12.3 per cent. A further 18.5 per cent of the simulations ended in a draw, suggesting the possibility of extra time.
Egypt, however, have emerged as one of the tournament’s surprise packages and head into the contest with growing confidence. Coach Hossam Hassan used the pre-match press conference to speak emotionally about Palestine, drawing applause from journalists after saying that anyone who did not feel for the suffering of Palestinians “was not human”. His comments came after he had earlier held up a Palestinian flag following Egypt’s win over Australia in the previous round.
Later in Vancouver, Switzerland will take on Colombia in another intriguing last-16 tie. Colombia appear to hold a slight edge, with Opta giving them a 41.9pc chance of victory in normal time, compared to Switzerland’s 28.2pc, while 29.9pc of simulations ended level. Colombia have also impressed defensively, conceding just once so far in the tournament, while Switzerland are chasing their first World Cup quarter-final appearance since 1954.
The tournament has also continued to produce major storylines off the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest appearance for Portugal marked what he confirmed would be his final World Cup, bringing an end to a tournament career spanning six editions. After Portugal’s defeat, Ronaldo said he was disappointed with the way his World Cup journey had ended but insisted he would take time before making any decision about his wider international future.
Elsewhere, France captain Kylian Mbappe condemned racist remarks made by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after Paraguay’s round-of-16 exit, describing the comments as “despicable” and saying she was unworthy of public office. The French forward’s response added to the political and emotional undertones that have accompanied several matches in the knockout stage.
The winners of Tuesday’s two matches will meet in the quarter-finals, as the race for the World Cup title intensifies. If you want, I can also turn this into a clean sports desk copy with a sharper lead and fewer side story details, or do a separate short preview for Argentina-Egypt only or Switzerland-Colombia only
