Originally published on WeeBet on 2026-07-10. Reposted with canonical link.
World Cup 2026 Daily Briefing — July 10, Quarterfinals Week
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France dismantled Morocco 2-0 at Gillette Stadium on July 9, with Kylian Mbappé (60') and Ousmane Dembélé (66') doing the damage to put Les Bleus into a third consecutive World Cup semifinal. Today brings the second quarterfinal: Spain vs. Belgium at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood — kick-off 3 p.m. ET. With six wins from six, no extra time required, France are the tournament's outstanding team and the short-priced favourite on most outright markets. Mbappé now leads the Golden Boot race (8 goals, 3 assists), fractionally ahead of Argentina's Lionel Messi on tiebreaker. The remaining draw: the Spain/Belgium winner faces France on July 14 in Arlington; the Norway/England winner meets Argentina or Switzerland on July 15 in Atlanta. Track live outright and match markets at WeeBet's live hub — /events/world-cup-2026.
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July 9 Result: France 2-0 Morocco, Gillette Stadium
France remained the only team in the tournament to win all six of its matches without needing extra time
after a commanding quarterfinal against the Atlas Lions.
Mbappé missed a penalty in the first half, but it did not cost his team as he scored a sensational second-half effort, before providing an assist for Ousmane Dembélé.
Mbappé made the break into the box in the first half when he was brought down by Noussair Mazraoui — but after a wait of over three minutes, he hit a tame penalty into the middle of the goal and Bounou made light work of the save.
The miss proved an outlier:
France were much more direct in the second half and it was Mbappé who finally made their dominance count with a brilliant, curling effort past Issa Diop and a helpless Bounou.
Just six minutes later, Ousmane Dembélé made it 2-0 with yet another great shot.
Mbappé was then taken off, with ice applied to his ankle, but he was able to join the post-match celebrations — it is highly unlikely he will miss the semifinal.
On the Moroccan side, the pre-match picture was already difficult:
Morocco's top scorer at this tournament, Ismael Saibari, was out with a hamstring injury — he had scored in each of Morocco's three group games and struck the decisive penalty in the shootout win over the Netherlands.
What the Result Means: France's Semifinal Path
It is the third straight World Cup semifinal for Les Bleus.
France will play the winner of Belgium and Spain in the semifinal on the doorstep of a third straight appearance in the World Cup final.
That tie is scheduled for July 14 in Arlington, Texas — Bastille Day.
Mbappé's goal moved him ahead of Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race; both players have eight goals, but Mbappé holds the lead on assists (three to Messi's one).
This was his 20th World Cup goal overall.
The outright title markets have responded accordingly. As of July 10, France sit as the tightest-priced side in the tournament — check live outright positions at WeeBet's World Cup hub, where markets update in real time with each result and team news update.
Today's Match: Spain vs. Belgium — SoFi Stadium, 3 PM ET
Match 98 pits Spain against Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles at 3 p.m. ET on July 10.
The contest features two heavyweight European programmes:
Spain reached the quarterfinals when substitute Mikel Merino struck the game's only goal in added time against Portugal in the Round of 16.
Belgium, meanwhile,
overcame co-hosts the USA to secure their quarterfinal place.
FIFA's own preview notes a theme on each side's key duel:
Declan Rice versus Martin Ødegaard — the Arsenal duo primed for a World Cup duel — is the headline individual contest.
Spain enter backed by their depth in midfield and a healthy attacking line; Belgium's experience across their squad makes this the most evenly contested quarterfinal on paper.
The winner faces France in Arlington on July 14. Live match odds for Spain vs. Belgium are available now at /events/world-cup-2026 — position early, as lines move fast after kick-off in knockout football.
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{ "m": "France vs Morocco", "d": "Jul 9", "v": "Gillette Stadium", "r": { "v": "France 2-0", "tone": "good" } },
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{ "m": "Norway vs England", "d": "Jul 11", "v": "Hard Rock Stadium", "r": { "v": "Tomorrow", "tone": "muted" } },
{ "m": "Argentina vs Switzerland", "d": "Jul 11", "v": "Arrowhead Stadium", "r": { "v": "Tomorrow", "tone": "muted" } }
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The Remaining Quarterfinal Picture: July 11
Saturday's double-header brings Norway vs. England at 5 p.m. ET in Miami Gardens, followed by Argentina vs. Switzerland at 9 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Norway's Erling Haaland enters as one of the tournament's most-watched figures.
In his downtime before Norway's match, Haaland was watching France's win over Morocco and gave his take on Mbappé's missed penalty, which was delayed by three minutes due to a lengthy VAR check.
The Norway-England confrontation carries extra weight:
England recorded its best ever win on foreign soil at a major tournament when they beat Mexico at the Estadio Azteca
in the Round of 16.
Two of the four Golden Boot contenders — Norway's Erling Haaland and England's Harry Kane — will play one another on Saturday.
Argentina and Switzerland meet in Kansas City with Messi's side carrying the aura of defending champions.
Argentina and Messi completed an epic comeback versus Egypt, with VAR drama, to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
Switzerland, meanwhile, have proven themselves the tournament's dark horse, eliminating sides with tactical discipline and set-piece threat.
Golden Boot Race — As of July 10
Both Mbappé and Messi have eight goals, but Mbappé's three assists are enough to lead the table, given Messi has just one.
Several players have recorded four goals apiece, most notably France's Ousmane Dembélé, Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal, and England's Jude Bellingham.
The Saturday quarterfinals could rapidly change the standings — any hat-trick by Haaland, Kane, or Messi would reshape the leaderboard overnight.
WeeBet's /events/world-cup-2026 hub carries live Golden Boot scorer markets — one of the tournament's most active event contract categories.
Key Context: Tournament Format and Stakes
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams and to be co-hosted by three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The tournament features a record 104 matches in total.
The United States hosts all games from the quarterfinals onwards.
The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
With four quarterfinals played or scheduled, nine days remain until the winner lifts the trophy.
What to Watch Today — July 10
- Spain vs. Belgium kick-off, 3 PM ET at SoFi Stadium: the winner meets France on July 14 in Arlington, Texas.
- Mbappé fitness bulletin:
Mbappé was subbed out in the 77th minute against Morocco with a slight limp, sitting on the bench with an ice pack on his right ankle.
Any update before the semifinal will move France's outright contract significantly.
England's Jarrell Quansah was handed a two-match ban
— a development that shapes England's defensive options for Saturday against Norway.
- Argentina's title odds will firm or drift depending on the Switzerland performance on Saturday night.
Track every line move, match result, and tournament market live at WeeBet — /events/world-cup-2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the World Cup quarterfinal on July 9, 2026?
France defeated Morocco 2-0 to remain the only team to have won all six of its matches without needing extra time. Kylian Mbappé contributed a goal despite also missing a penalty.
Which matches are left in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals?
Three quarterfinals remain: Spain vs. Belgium on July 10 (3 PM ET, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood); Norway vs. England on July 11 (5 PM ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens); and Argentina vs. Switzerland on July 11 (9 PM ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City).
Who leads the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot race as of July 10?
Kylian Mbappé leads on tiebreaker with eight goals and three assists; Argentina's Lionel Messi also has eight goals but only one assist.
When and where is the 2026 World Cup final?
The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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