Sentul, Bogor - One big question has begun to emerge following the conclusion of the first two 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final matches. Has the path to the final started to come into view, or are there still teams capable of completely upending the entire tournament landscape?
France and Spain have already secured their semi-final tickets. All attention now shifts to the two remaining fixtures: Norway against England, and Argentina facing Switzerland. On paper, England and Argentina remain the favoured sides. Yet the knockout stages of the World Cup consistently produce unpredictable, unscripted stories.
Thus far, France have delivered the most convincing performances of any remaining team. Their 2-0 victory over Morocco further confirmed Les Bleus' status as the strongest title contender. This is not purely driven by Kylian Mbappé, but also their exceptional squad depth that allows them to maintain high playing intensity for the full 90 minutes. Across almost every position, France have players capable of changing the course of a match.
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However, if there is one side widely judged to have a genuine chance of stopping France's run, that team is Spain.
Their 2-1 win over Belgium demonstrated La Roja's growing maturity. Under Luis de la Fuente, this squad does not only rely on ball possession: they are also able to adjust game rhythm effectively when under pressure. That exact quality is why the upcoming France vs Spain clash is expected to be the highest technical quality match of the entire tournament.
So what about the two remaining semi-final places?
England hold a slight advantage going into their tie against Norway, backed by major tournament experience, squad depth, and the consistent form of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. That said, Norway have proven they are no longer a side dependent solely on Erling Haaland. Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb have made their play far more dynamic, with particularly dangerous transition attacks.
In the other remaining quarter-final, Argentina also go into their match against Switzerland as favourites. World Cup winning pedigree and Lionel Messi's leadership stand as major assets for the Albiceleste. Even so, Switzerland's disciplined defensive organisation and ability to control match tempo means they are capable of forcing Argentina into a gruelling battle right up until the final minutes.
This is what makes the World Cup so compelling. On logic alone, all signs point to a semi-final line-up of France, Spain, England and Argentina. But history has shown repeatedly: just when the tournament picture starts to look clear, that is when upsets most often occur.
So the big question is no longer who are the favourites. What is far more interesting is this: is the 2026 World Cup truly heading towards that expected ideal semi-final bracket, or can Norway and Switzerland still write a very different story?
Analysis of this tournament landscape was one of the core topics covered on the ITSMe Podcast, featuring football analysts Ronny Pangemanan and Sapto Haryo Rajasa. Hosted by Gilang Respaty and Yatna from the ITSMe Studio in Sentul, Bogor, the discussion breaks down each team's chances while mapping out the competitive trajectory towards the 2026 World Cup final.
