Kansas City to host World Cup quarterfinal as Switzerland faces Argentina

By Sanjay Menon — 11 July 2026 — 4 min read

Switzerland is set to compete in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years, facing Argentina on Saturday, July 11, at Kansas City Stadium. This historic match pits the Swiss against the defending champions, led by Lionel Messi, in what is anticipated to be a challenging encounter for the European side.

Despite the formidable opposition, Switzerland players have expressed confidence in their ability to challenge Argentina. Midfielder Denis Zakaria acknowledged Messi’s status as one of the world’s best players but emphasized that Argentina is more than just Messi. He stated that the team has identified weaknesses in the champions and believes they possess the quality to contain Messi and disrupt Argentina’s title aspirations.

Switzerland’s preparation and confidence

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admitted on Friday, July 10, that stopping Messi for the entire 90 minutes would be difficult. However, he also highlighted the qualities of the Swiss team, suggesting that few people acknowledge their strengths. Xhaka indicated that the team would demonstrate their capabilities on the pitch, asserting that nothing else would matter.

Forward Zeki Amdouni echoed this sentiment, stating that Switzerland has thoroughly studied Argentina and believes there are spaces to exploit in their defense. He emphasized that while Messi is a great player, the Swiss team is prepared to give their all to secure a victory. Amdouni also addressed comments from former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, who suggested Swiss players might show too much respect for Messi, by affirming their determination to win.

Zakaria further elaborated on the strategy to counter Argentina, noting that Messi’s freedom of movement makes him particularly challenging to neutralize. He stressed that a collective effort would be crucial to defeat Argentina, rather than focusing solely on their captain. Zakaria underscored the importance of being well-prepared and ready for the fight.

Argentina’s journey to the quarterfinals

Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals after a dramatic comeback victory against Egypt, winning 3-2 in the Round of 16. Messi played a pivotal role in this match, scoring Argentina’s second goal and providing an assist. This goal marked his 21st overall World Cup goal, extending his lead as the tournament’s top scorer, and his eighth goal in this edition, where he shares the lead in the scoring charts.

Notably, Messi’s goal against Egypt made him the first player to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches and the first to score in nine consecutive matches in the global competition. The match also saw Messi reach an unprecedented 31 appearances in FIFA World Cup history. Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul also featured in Argentina’s starting lineup for the match.

Prior to their match against Egypt, Argentina had a strong showing in the group stage, winning 3-0 against Algeria, 2-0 against Austria, and 3-1 against Jordan in Group J. They then secured a 3-2 victory against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 before facing Egypt. Messi has also led Argentina to significant titles, including the 2021 and 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América, the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Switzerland’s path and historical context

Switzerland’s journey to the quarterfinals included eliminating Algeria with a 2-0 result in the Round of 32 and defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in the Round of 16. In the group stage, the Swiss won Group B unbeaten, securing two wins and a draw for a total of seven points.

This quarterfinal match marks the eighth time Argentina and Switzerland have met in their history and the third time in a FIFA World Cup. Argentina has maintained an unbeaten record against Switzerland, with five wins and two draws in their previous encounters. Their past World Cup meetings include a 2-0 group stage victory in England in 1966 and a 1-0 win in the Round of 16 in Brazil in 2014. Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez are the only holdovers from the 2014 Swiss team.

Despite the historical context, Xhaka emphasized that the upcoming match is completely different from the 2014 encounter. Switzerland has shown consistent performance in recent tournaments, reaching the quarterfinals in the last two European Championships and advancing to the knockout rounds in five of their last six World Cup appearances. The match is scheduled for Saturday, July 11.

Source: eu.usatoday.com