Full Time: Spain 2-1 Belgium. Substitute Mikel Merino scored an 88th-minute winner at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on July 10, 2026, to send Spain into a World Cup semifinal against France. It was Merino's second late knockout winner in five days, after his stoppage-time goal eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the Round of 16.

The Result

Fabian Ruiz put Spain ahead in the 30th minute before Charles De Ketelaere equalized for Belgium in the 41st, and for long stretches after the break Belgium looked capable of forcing the tie to extra time. Then Merino entered from the bench and needed less than two minutes to settle it: when a Pau Cubarsi shot was spilled by substitute goalkeeper Senne Lammens, Merino turned home the rebound from close range in the 88th minute.

It was a cruel night for Belgium, who were dealt two significant injury blows: captain Youri Tielemans was hurt in the pre-match warmup and could not start, and first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois went off injured in the second half -- putting Lammens in goal for the decisive moment.

What It Means

Spain advance to face France on Tuesday, July 14, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (3pm ET) -- a rematch of the Euro 2024 semifinal that Spain won 2-1 on their way to the title. France, unbeaten at this World Cup after dispatching Morocco 2-0, will start with Kylian Mbappe one goal shy of Lionel Messi's all-time World Cup scoring record of 21.

For Belgium, the run ends one round after their statement 4-1 win over co-hosts USA. For Merino, the numbers are becoming absurd: two knockout-round appearances off the bench, two match-winning goals in the 88th minute or later.

Today: The Last Two Quarterfinal Places

The quarterfinals conclude today, July 11, with two matches that will complete the semifinal bracket:

  • Norway vs England -- 5pm ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens. Erling Haaland's Norway, in their first World Cup quarterfinal ever after stunning Brazil 2-1, meet an England side that survived a 3-2 thriller against co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca.
  • Argentina vs Switzerland -- 8pm local time (9pm ET), Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina, who came from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2, face a Switzerland side in their first quarterfinal since 1954 after edging Colombia on penalties.

The winners meet in the second semifinal on July 15 in Atlanta.

Match Details

  • Fixture: Spain 2-1 Belgium, Quarterfinals
  • Date: July 10, 2026
  • Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
  • Scorers: Fabian Ruiz 30', Merino 88' (Spain); De Ketelaere 41' (Belgium)
  • Stakes: Spain advance to face France in the semifinals on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

WorldCupElite will keep tracking the verified results as the World Cup 2026 knockout rounds continue. For the full picture, see our match hub and the new France vs Spain semifinal page.

Sources & Further Reading