And breathe.England and Norway will face each other in the Quarter-finals (AP Photos)It’s been four weeks into the 2026 World Cup, four weeks of football fans all over the world being treated to an international match-up every single day — in fact, often three or four a day. Now, the knockout stages are halfway through. Today, Wednesday, marks the first day of the tournament summer that is not a matchday.The Round of 16 did not fail to entertain, with no shortage of headlines and special narratives. From dominant wins oozing class and quality to frenetic matches delivering multiple twists and turns, from stunning upsets and underdog victories to expected wins for the heavyweight names, the knockouts have provided umpteen talking points and moments of magic and incredulity.For starters, all three hosts were eliminated. Mexico, the biggest footballing powerhouse of the three, lost out to England 3-2 in a sensational match at the hallowed Estadio Azteca, while Canada and the USA were simply outclassed by Morocco and Belgium, 3-0 and 4-1, respectively.In perhaps the match of the tournament, Argentina came from 2-0 down to beat Egypt 3-2, with Lionel Messi inspiring the turnaround that saw the defending champions score three goals in fifteen minutes. The match was not without its controversy, though, as Egypt, who could’ve led 3-0 or 3-2 at different points, felt robbed of a famous upset by some questionable decision-making from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).France and Spain recorded 1-0 wins that could not have been more different. France overcame Paraguay through a Kylian Mbappé penalty in a foul-laden, heated brawl of a match. Spain beat Portugal courtesy of a 90+1’ winner from super-sub Mikel Merino, in a tepid game of cagey possession, little-to-no attacking intent, and few clear-cut chances.Surprisingly, only one out of the eight matches went to extra time and penalties, with Colombia losing to Switzerland 4-2 on penalties. The two teams had played out a riveting 0-0 draw in regulation time, matching each other in possession, passing intent and intricacy, physical duels and quality in every phase of the match except goalscoring. In the end, penalties were the cruel decider of a famous upset.Also Read: Lionel Messi exchange under scanner after Egypt coach's anti-racism gesture in Argentina's controversial World Cup winAnd in one of the tournament’s most notable upsets, six-time champions Brazil crashed out against Norway with a 2-1 defeat. Although any team with Erling Haaland leading the line for them cannot be truly called an ‘underdog’, Norway rode their luck at times before an inspired Haaland brace settled the outcome.The Round of 16 saw many icons of the modern game bid farewell to the World Cup. As with victory, comes defeat and heartbreak, and so it was for James Rodriguez (Colombia), Neymar Jr. (Brazil), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico).Next up: the quarterfinals. Full steam ahead.Quarterfinal fixtures with timingsFrance v Morocco: Friday, 10th July, 1:30 AM ISTSpain v Belgium: Saturday, 11th July, 12:30 AM ISTNorway v England: Sunday, 12th July, 2:30 AM ISTArgentina v Switzerland: Sunday, 12th July, 6:30 AM ISTWhat could the semifinals look like?The winners of France v Morocco and Spain v Belgium will face each other in the semifinals. France and Spain are likely to edge out their respective fixtures, potentially setting up a blockbuster El Clásico rematch between Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.The winners of Argentina v Switzerland and England v Norway will meet in the other semifinal. It could mark a generational showdown between Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Erling Haaland (Norway). But equally likely is a Harry Kane show to take England to a first World Cup semi-final victory since 1966.When will the final be held?The final of the 2026 World Cup will be held on Monday, 20th July, at 1:30 AM IST.