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What began as a bloated 48-team FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada has been reduced to just eight hopefuls.
The curtain goes up on the quarter-finals at Gillette Stadium, where France play Morocco in a mouth-watering clash you can follow on TV and live streaming apps.
Another game of note pairs Norway and England, as Erling Haaland and Harry Kane hope to fire their teammates and fans into the semi-finals. Which of the big names will prevail?
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Need a little help finding value in the quarters? Keep reading as experienced football betting analyst Frank Monkhouse guides you through his preview and predictions.
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France v Morocco, Thursday, 21:00 BST
Les Bleus play the Atlas Lions in Boston for a place in the final four.
France are the pre-match favourites with all major bookmakers, but we take nothing for granted in such an exciting World Cup.
In his final season in charge of the national team, Didier Deschamps led France to the top of Group I with a maximum of nine points. They then beat Sweden and Paraguay in the knockout rounds, scoring four and conceding zero.
Morocco arrived at the World Cup ranked seventh in the world by FIFA. The African champions finished second in Group C behind Brazil, with seven points from a possible nine.
Morocco then edged the Netherlands on penalties before hammering Canada. Four goals scored and only one conceded ensure Mohamed Ouahbi enters with confidence.
The updated head-to-head stats available on the Flashscore app make for interesting reading. These nations have met five times previously, with France winning three times, and two games ending in a draw.
France beat Morocco 2-0 at the 2022 World Cup, and I'm siding with the Europeans once again.
Deschamps and co have impressed me this summer, and the stats make France a strong bet to win. It makes more sense than backing Morocco to win this fixture for the first time.
Tip: France win @ 4/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If France beat Morocco in 90 minutes, you'll beat the bookies and make a profit.
Spain v Belgium, Friday, 20:00 BST
It's an all-European showdown on Friday evening, as Spain and Belgium clash at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Spain sit second in the current FIFA rankings, and aim to pull rank over an ambitious opponent ranked ninth. Luis de la Fuente's team topped Group H with seven points, finishing well clear of the chasing pack.
After scoring five and conceding none in the group stage, Spain beat Austria 3-0 and then Portugal 1-0 in the last 16.
Like their opponents, Belgium also won their pool, finishing top of Group G, but they were far less convincing. A win and two draws, with six goals scored and two conceded, helped Belgium finish above runners-up Egypt on goal difference.
Belgium then battled past Senegal 3-2 in extra time and the United States 4-1 on Tuesday. Those results show the Red Devils aren't afraid to fight fire with fire on the big stage.
As you can imagine, Spain and Belgium are no strangers to meeting in high-profile games. The H2H stats show that, of the eight previous matches, Spain have six wins and one draw, with Belgium winning once.
What's most interesting about the numbers is that six of those games were in World Cup competition, including a 5-0 win for Spain in 2009.
Spain have won their previous five meetings with Belgium in this tournament, with an aggregate of 13-2. Belgium failed to score in the last two renewals, leaking seven goals in the process.
I expect a comfortable and convincing win for the Spanish, backing them -1 goal on the handicap at bet365. A bold call, but if Spain are firing on all cylinders, followers will enjoy a run for their money.
Tip: Spain -1 handicap @ 13/8 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Spain to beat Belgium by at least two clear goals.
Norway v England, Saturday, 22:00 BST
The second of a mouth-watering all-European double-header this weekend pairs Norway and England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. I'm extremely confident that Saturday's showdown will live up to the pre-match hype.
Norway finished second in Group I, winning two and losing the other. That's easy to forgive when remembering that France topped the pool with three wins. The Vikings progressed to the knockout rounds, where they kept their dreams alive by beating the Ivory Coast 2-1 and Brazil by the same scoreline.
Haaland scored two in that vital win over the Samba Boys.
England's journey to the quarters has been just as interesting. The Three Lions breezed through qualifying before ending top of Group L with seven points, six goals scored, and two conceded. Thomas Tuchel's men then beat DR Congo 2-1 and Mexico 3-2.
Bayern Munich and England's star striker, Kane, scored three goals in those two knockout matches. Manchester City's Erling Haaland matched those efforts.
With Haaland and Kane supported by the likes of Bellingham and Aasgaard, I'm confident we'll enjoy a few goals on Saturday evening. So, sit on the fence, back both teams to score, and enjoy the show.
Tip: Both teams to score @ 4/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: The winning team and scorers aren't important here. You need both Norway and England to score at least one goal each in this quarter-final.
Argentina v Switzerland, Sunday, 02:00 BST
The final match from this weekend's quarter-finals pairs the champions with an opponent ranked 19th in the world. Argentina plays Switzerland at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City.
Argentina topped Group J with three wins, scoring eight goals, and leaking one. The only goal conceded came against Jordan on matchday three, with the group already tied up.
A solid defence is often key to success in this tournament, but Argentina haven't been as convincing in the knockout rounds. They beat Cape Verde 3-2 in the last 32, and Egypt by the same scoreline in the last 16.
Switzerland topped Group B at the end of June. Two wins and a draw were enough to keep Canada in second. The Swiss scored seven and conceded three. In the knockout rounds, A-Team beat Algeria 2-0, but went the distance with Colombia on Tuesday.
A tough watch for fans, the match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes. Switzerland held their nerve from the spot to win 4-3.
Followers of H2H stats will know these nations have met four times, with Argentina winning three and drawing one. The most recent was in the World Cup 10 years ago, won by Angel Di Maria.
We won't focus too much on a match from a decade ago, but I do expect a similar result. Argentina showed their fighting spirit, coming back from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2 late on. There's plenty of team spirit, pace, and creativity about the defending champions.
Switzerland played their part in a poor goalless draw with Colombia in Vancouver. That energy-sapping night was just four nights ago, meaning there will be a few tired legs in the camp. Back Argentina to take advantage, beating Switzerland and keeping a clean sheet.
Tip: Argentina win to nil @ 6/4 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Argentina to beat Switzerland without conceding a goal.
World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
Match schedule and times | Draw | England at the World Cup | Bellingham: England 'shouldn't fear anyone' | How to watch the World Cup | Predictions and odds