France and England face a critical test as they battle for spots in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals. These two former world champions will be challenged by Morocco and Norway, both riding strong positive form after eliminating formidable opponents in the knockout stage.
France will face Morocco on Friday (10/7) WIB, while Norway is scheduled to meet England on Sunday (12/7) WIB. Both fixtures are expected to be fiercely contested, pitting teams with contrasting playing identities against one another, and will decide the final two remaining tickets to the semi-final round.
Analysis of the four teams' prospects is the focus of the ITSMe Podcast, featuring football analysts Ronny Pangemanan and Kesit Budi Handoyo. Hosted by Gilang Respaty and Yatna from the ITSMe Studio in Sentul, Bogor, the episode breaks down each team's run to the quarter-finals, their on-pitch strengths, and their chances of advancing to the final four.
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France enter the quarter-finals with solid, convincing form. Les Bleus opened their knockout campaign with a 3-0 win over Sweden in the Round of 32, before edging past Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16. These results demonstrate that France can execute dominant controlled football when on the front foot, while also remaining clinical and effective against well-disciplined defensive opposition.
Morocco however arrive with equally impressive credentials. The African side first eliminated the Netherlands via a penalty shootout in the Round of 32, before putting in a dominant performance to defeat Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16. This run shows clear upward improvement for Morocco: they are not just renowned for their rock-solid defence, but have grown increasingly dangerous on fast counter-attacks.
The France vs Morocco tie is projected to be a tactical duel: possession dominance against disciplined organised structure. France hold advantages in squad depth and elite individual quality, while Morocco will rely on team collective cohesion, rapid transition play, and ruthless efficiency with every scoring opportunity.
In the other quarter-final fixture, Norway have emerged as one of the biggest surprise packages of this knockout stage. They defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 in the Round of 32, then pulled off another major upset by knocking out Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16. These two victories over elite opposition give Norway significant momentum heading into their clash with England.
England meanwhile advanced to the quarter-finals after eliminating DR Congo 2-1 and Mexico 3-2. The Three Lions have looked sharp in attack, scoring five goals across their two knockout matches. However, they have also conceded three goals, leaving clear defensive vulnerabilities to address ahead of facing a Norway side built around the elite finishing of Erling Haaland.
Beyond the race for semi-final spots, this quarter-final round also features a head-to-head race between the tournament's two deadliest strikers. Haaland and Kylian Mbappé are currently joint top of the 2026 World Cup goalscoring charts with seven goals each. The performance of both players is widely expected to be one of the defining factors that decides the outcome of these matches.
With the proven tournament experience of France and England matched against the scorching momentum of Morocco and Norway, these quarter-final ties are predicted to be extremely tight. The ability to maintain match discipline, convert even the smallest half-chances, and stay composed under pressure will be the separating factor for the teams that secure their place in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.
