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Mikel Merino lifts Spain over Belgium, setting up World Cup showdown with France
If Mikel Merino is sleeping, please don’t wake him. If the last week has been a dream, he’d just as soon keep dreaming.
Because on Friday, for the second time in five days, Merino came off the bench for the final five minutes of a World Cup knockout game and scored the winning goal, the latest lifting Spain to a 2-1 victory over Belgium and into next week’s semifinal against France in Arlington, Texas.
“Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what’s happening right now, right?” Merino said in Spanish. “Honestly, it’s crazy.”
How crazy? Merino has played less than 10 minutes in the past two games and has two goals. He’s taken four shots in the World Cup and put two of them in the back of the net, the first in stoppage time to beat Portugal in the round of 16 and in the 88th minute Friday to beat Belgium in a quarterfinal and extend Spain’s unbeaten to streak to 36 games.
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Spain holds off spirited Belgium rally, advances
Spain 2, Belgium 1, final
Belgium made multiple runs at the Spain goal during stoppage time, forcing the Spanish team to dive to assist its goalkeeper.
Despite multiple promising shots, Spain held on for a 3-2 win over Belgium and advances to the World Cup semifinals.
Belgium was the first team to score on Spain this World Cup, but it wasn’t enough to pull off a win.
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Spain scores off rebound, takes lead late
Spain 2, Belgium 1, 88th minute
Spain finally capitalized on Belgium’s change in goalkeeper.
After a strong run of play, Pau Cubarsí took a shot from the top of the box that was deflected but not caught by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens. Substitute Mikel Merino put away the rebound, giving Spain a huge lead minutes away from what could be the final whistle if Belgium can’t score during seven minutes of stoppage time.
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Belgium replaces starting goalkeeper after injury
Spain 1, Belgium 1, 71st minute
Thibaut Courtois appeared to suffer a thigh injury in the 67th minute as Spain continuously pushed for anotehr goal.
He was emotioanl after getting replaced in goal by Senne Lammens.
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Spain, Belgium goalkeepers deliver big deflections
Spain 1, Belgium 1, 69th minute
Spain and Belgium have led impressive runs, with dribbling that has elicited “oohs” from the soldout SoFi Stadium crowd. But a mix of defenders and goalkeepers have kept both sides from scoring before the second half hydration break.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón has one save and Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has four.
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Spain gives up first goal of World Cup as Belgium ties the game
Spain 1, Belgium 1, 41st minute
Spain has finally given up its first 2026 World Cup goal.
Leandro Trossard passed to Timothy Castagne, who delivered a cross into a congested box. Charles De Ketelaere ultimately gets enough of his head on the ball to nod it home past Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Spain and Belgium could not break the tie before the halftime break.
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Spain puts away rebound, takes early lead
Spain 1, Belgium 0, 30th minute
Spain’s attack finally found a seam in the Belgium defense in the 30th minute.
Spain pushed the ball up the right side of the field and Pedro Porro crossed the ball in to Dani Olmo. Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois deflected the shot.
Fabián Ruiz controlled the rebound in the center of the box even though his shot touched Belgium’s Timothy Castagne on the way to the back of the next.
Spain, meanwhile, has not given up a goal so far this World Cup.
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Spain applies pressure, but Belgium’s defense up to the challenge early
Belgium 0, Spain 0, 13th minute
SoFi Stadium is hosting its eighth and final World Cup match today, with fans of both sides (along with the U.S. and Mexico) filling the stadium.
Spain has controlled possession 61% of the time early and put the ball in a dangerous position in the penalty box once, but Belgium’s defense blocked the shot and cleared the threat.
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Energetic fans gather at SoFi Stadium for final Los Angeles area World Cup match
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Commentary: Trump’s World Cup meddling only made matters worse for rattled U.S. squad
SEATTLE — Is everybody happy now? You good, Mr. President?
Put our boys in a blender, President Trump did, with those phone calls to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Messed with their mojo by politicking to get American striker Folarin Balogun’s red card rescinded.
Trump struck out on all his appeals seeking to overturn the 2020 election results, but he can boast that he had a hand in getting a decision overturned in the 2026 World Cup.
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‘Worth every penny’: This is how much fans spent to attend the World Cup in L.A.
“Do you have an extra ticket?” a man shouted outside SoFi Stadium last Thursday.
The World Cup has been drawing fans from around the globe. But for many, getting a seat in the stadium has come at a steep price.
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Some were lucky enough to nab $400 to $500 tickets through official World Cup lotteries, others paid thousands of dollars to catch the action IRL. Tickets for the upcoming USA versus Turkey match were selling for more than $1,400 on resale sites.
The demand has been so high that authorities have been warning fans about how to avoid ticket scams.
As crowds flocked into the stadium, we asked attendees about how much they paid to get into the most-watched sporting event in the world. Here’s what they shared.
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How the FIFA World Cup is providing a boost for L.A. businesses
Johnny Beig may have played in a semiprofessional cricket league in Australia, but this summer he’s a big fan of soccer in the United States.
It’s not just because he’s rooting for the World Cup team, though.
Last year, Beig’s Beverly Hills-based company, Dioz Group, won a $2.5 million contract with On Location, FIFA’s hospitality partner, to design, manufacture and distribute uniforms for all employees working at FIFA World Cup venues this summer.
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Paraguayan senator demands apology from Kylian Mbappé for his response to her racist posts
A Paraguayan senator has deleted social media posts that included racist remarks about French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé that led to Paris prosecutors opening an investigation into possible aggravated public insult and incitement to hatred or violence.
Celeste Amarilla, a 61-year-old senator from Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, indicated in an open letter to Mbappé on Monday that she regretted the comments she posted following Paraguay’s 1-0 loss to France in a World Cup knockout game on Saturday.
In the same letter, however, Amarilla threatened to take legal action if Mbappé did not retract and apologize for comments he made in response to one of her posts.
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FIFA grass in NFL stadiums reignites debate over pro football’s use of artificial turf
FIFA’s natural grass transformation of SoFi Stadium and six other NFL stadiums with artificial surfaces for this summer’s World Cup reignited the debate over grass versus synthetic turf.
Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis long ago took a side in the fight.
“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Davis told The Times. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”
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Commentary: The Trump ‘curse’ at the World Cup is his latest red card against Americans
For the past 11 years, I’ve waited for a scandal, a slip up, a moment of clarity that would finally make President Trump’s supporters realize that their man is a charlatan.
My fellow Americans, I think we finally found it.
Earlier this week, Trump appears to have successfully lobbied FIFA to allow U.S. striker Folarin Balogun to play in this week’s round of 16 match against Belgium despite the player receiving a red card in the previous match, which in normal times would’ve made him ineligible to play.
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Recap: Spain weathers early adversity, clinches knock-out round match at SoFi Stadium
GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Spain, ranked second in the FIFA rankings and the favorite to win the World Cup, did not play its best game, but did enough late Friday to defeat Uruguay 1-0 and eliminate the South American team in one of the most anticipated matches of the first round.
Spain finished first in Group H, while first-time participant Cape Verde advanced in second place with just three points, the result of three draws. Uruguay was eliminated from the tournament with only two points, following two draws and one loss.
For much of the match on Friday, Spain lacked better offensive coordination ahead of facing more dangerous opponents in the upcoming do-or-die rounds.
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Why not them? Disappointed U.S. players hope their World Cup run inspired future stars
SEATTLE — Last fall, in an effort to inspire a national soccer team lacking in confidence and belief, coach Mauricio Pochettino came up with a slogan for this summer’s World Cup, one the U.S. would be playing at home.
“Why not us?” he asked.
Why couldn’t the U.S. make a deep run in the tournament? Why couldn’t the U.S. compete with the best teams in the world? Why not us?
Monday he got his answer: Because the U.S. just isn’t good enough.
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Fans slam FIFA’s cooling breaks. Why the U.S. World Cup team doctor disagrees
While it may not be remembered as FIFA’s most controversial decision of the 2026 World Cup, the institution of mandatory cooling breaks in all matches has been met with boos and derision, with critics saying the pauses disrupt the game’s flow and offer little benefit in air-conditioned environments.
“They’re in a dome here! Temperature-controlled, climate-controlled — why are we having a break?” fumed one England fan to a radio reporter outside the England-Croatia match in Arlington, Texas, where field temperatures inside AT&T Stadium approached a comfortable 70 degrees Fahrenheit despite an outdoor heat and humidity index near 105 degrees.
But for Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, chief medical officer for U.S. men’s soccer and vice chair of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s orthopedic surgery department, the breaks set an important precedent for prioritizing athlete health in extreme heat, even at the highest levels of competition.
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California soccer fans sue StubHub after it fails to deliver expensive World Cup tickets
StubHub is getting a red card from some World Cup fans
Two World Cup customers are suing the New York-based ticket-selling company, alleging “false and misleading” advertising that left them without tickets or a refund for the World Cup games they paid to attend.
In federal court in New York last week, two Californians — Julia Reeker Moghal and Reuben Renteria — sued StubHub seeking monetary damages and a ban on the company selling World Cup tickets. The lawsuit aims to become a class action and comes after weeks of fierce criticism and complaints from customers regarding the company’s practices.
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Commentary: Lionel Messi is the ultimate summer romance
Everyone knew going in that Lionel Messi would be the narrative centerpiece of the 2026 World Cup. Easily the most recognized name in the competition, Messi is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time and, as the captain of 2022 winner Argentina, he is the reigning World Cup champ. At 18, he scored his first World Cup goal in 2006 and has competed in every World Cup since. He celebrated his 39th birthday before this year’s knockout rounds began, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that this will be his last.
No matter what Messi did, or failed to do, it would be News. Everyone with even a passing interest in the event knew this. Including me.
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World Cup quarterfinals schedule: Start times for every match and how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are underway, with France defeating Morocco on Thursday and Spain beating Belgium on Friday.
World Cup co-hosts U.S., Canada and Mexico will be watching from the sideline after being eliminated in the round of 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two World Cup matches being played Saturday (all times Pacific).
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Looking back at the first 28 days of the World Cup
The first 28 days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.
Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Friday’s quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
France defeats Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals to be the first team to reach the semifinals. Get the latest news, results and highlights.
Live updates from Tuesday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Monday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Sunday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Saturday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Friday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
Live updates from Thursday’s knockout round games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 39-day tournament.
England and Belgium rallied from early deficits and the U.S. held on despite a red card, winning Wednesday to clear the first World Cup knockout round.
Kylian Mbappé scored his fifth and sixth World Cup goals, leading France to a World Cup knockout round win Tuesday. Mexico and Norway also advanced.
Recapping Monday’s knockout-round wins by Brazil, Paraguay and Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Get the latest news, results and highlights.
Live updates from Canada vs. South Africa at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news and results as the knockout rounds begin.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Recapping Day 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
South Africa pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over South Korea Wednesday night, advancing to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo snapped out of his goal scoring slump to lead Portugal to a win, while Ghana held Harry Kane and England and Colombia rallied to beat Congo.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Recapping what happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Harry Kane tied a World Cup record during England’s win, Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless during a draw, Ghana stunned Panama and more during Day 7.
Stars Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi all scored while leading France, Norway and Argentina to wins on Day 6 of the 2026 World Cup.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Folarin Balogun scores twice and Christian Pulisic sets up two goals to lead the U.S. to a 4-1 win in its World Cup opener over Paraguay on Friday.
Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.
Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in a game that featured three red cards. Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico in front of 80,824 fans.