Switzerland face Argentina in World Cup quarterfinal after beating Colombia

Switzerland face Argentina in World Cup quarterfinal after beating Colombia

Switzerland advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw through 120 minutes of play. The victory marks the first time the Swiss have progressed from two knockout ties in a single edition of the tournament, having previously beaten Algeria in the Round of 32.

The match, the final Round of 16 fixture played outside the United States, took place at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. Despite a sellout crowd of 52,497 that was overwhelmingly clad in yellow to support Colombia, Switzerland held firm to secure their place in the final eight.

Penalty Drama in Vancouver

After neither team could find the net in regulation or extra time, the result was decided by spot-kicks. The shootout swung in Switzerland's favor when goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saved the effort of Cucho Hernandez. Colombia also saw Davinson Sanchez hit the crossbar, while Switzerland's Manuel Akanji fired over the bar. Ruben Vargas, who entered the game in stoppage time, scored the decisive penalty to seal the win.

Kobel was named Player of the Match for his contributions, including the crucial shootout save and a diving stop in the 21st minute to deny a curling shot from Colombia's Gustavo Puerta. According to Kobel, the atmosphere made for a tough game and a big challenge for a Swiss side that was missing several players.

A Grueling Encounter

The match was characterized by a lack of offensive breakthroughs. The two sides combined for only five shots on goal across 120 minutes, with a combined expected goals (xG) of 0.7 in the first 90 minutes—the lowest tally for a single game through normal time at this World Cup. Colombia's Gustavo Puerta finished the tournament with 14 shots and no goals, the most by any player in this edition without scoring.

Switzerland entered the match severely hampered by injuries. Breakout star Johan Manzambi, who had recorded three goals and two assists, was ruled out after suffering a knee contusion in training on Monday. The Swiss were also without midfielder Michel Aebischer and Luca Jaquez.

Colombia, which had conceded only once in its four games prior to Tuesday, struggled to capitalize on its chances. Jhon Lucumi ever so nearly broke the deadlock in the first period of extra time with a header that crashed against the crossbar. In the second extra time period, Jaminton Campaz missed a one-on-one opportunity against Kobel after a turnover by Granit Xhaka.

Historic Implications

The result is a historic milestone for Switzerland, which last reached the quarterfinals in 1954. During that tournament, they lost 7-5 to Austria. In the 72 years between those appearances, Switzerland participated in nine World Cups but failed to exit the group stage three times.

For Colombia, the loss continued a difficult trend. They have now been eliminated in all three of their World Cup knockout ties that went to extra time. Midfielder John Arias noted that the loss was particularly painful because of the immense belief shown by the country.

Road to the Semifinals

Switzerland is now set to face the defending champions, Argentina, on Saturday, July 11, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Argentina secured their spot in the quarterfinals earlier on Tuesday by overcoming a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt 3-2 in Atlanta, with goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi, and Enzo Fernandez.

The quarterfinals begin Thursday, July 9, with France facing Morocco. On Friday, Spain plays Belgium, followed by England versus Norway on Saturday afternoon. The winners of the Thursday and Friday matches will meet in the first semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, while the winners of the Saturday matches will face off on Wednesday, July 15.