Christian Pulisic suffers a fracture in his right leg during the World Cup

Duel in Los Angeles ahead of the final

This Friday, July 10, Spain and Belgium meet at the Los Angeles stadium for a place in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. The winner will face France, who eliminated Morocco (2-0) on Thursday.

How do both teams arrive?

Luis de la Fuente’s team comes from leaving out Portugal (0-1) in the round of 16 and Austria (3-0) in the round of 32. For its part, Belgium beat the United States (1-4) and Senegal (3-2) in the previous rounds.

Key fact: Spain has eight consecutive games without losing against the Red Devils, with seven wins and one draw in official and friendly matches.

Schedule and transmission

• Match: Spain vs Belgium
• Date: Friday, July 10
• Time: 1:00 p.m. (local time)
• Stadium: Los Angeles
• Transmission: ViX Premium (World Pass 2026)

Both sets arrive at a good time. La Roja seeks to extend its positive streak, while Belgium will try to break Spanish dominance. The match promises intense emotions for the ticket to the prelude to the grand final.

The Mexican National Team did not make it to the quarterfinals in the 2026 North American World Cup. They lost 2-3 against England at the Mexico City stadium, which meant their elimination in the round of 16.

An illusion that went out

Javier Aguirre’s team arrived with great momentum after winning their four previous games (South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic and Ecuador) without conceding a single goal. The fans dreamed of qualifying for the quarterfinals after 40 years. However, Mexico added its ninth consecutive World Cup without advancing to that phase. In Qatar 2022 they did not even make it past the group stage.

Recognition of Jesús Gallardo

Despite the defeat, the fans showed support. Jesús Gallardo, Toluca winger, traveled on a commercial flight to Tabasco and received a tribute from the crew.

“We celebrate his participation and we are proud to share this flight with him. Thank you for carrying the name of Mexico so high and for leaving everything on the field. May there be many more successes,” said a flight attendant over the loudspeaker.

The passengers also dedicated a cheer to him: “Chiquitibum a la bim bomb ba, Gallardo, Gallardo, ra ra ra.”

Mexico’s performance left mixed feelings: pride in the effort, but frustration for not breaking the barrier of the second round.

FIFA is already evaluating the venue for the 2029 Club World Cup. The United States is running as host, seeking to capitalize on the soccer boom generated by the 2026 World Cup, which it will share with Canada and Mexico.

According to sources close to the governing body, preliminary talks have already begun. However, it has not been confirmed whether President Donald Trump participated in those meetings. The White House, through the Working Group for the 2026 World Cup, is aware of the efforts.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of that group, declared: “Soccer is no longer an American story of the future; it is happening right now. There is a huge demand to come to the United States to watch the World Cup.”

Consolidated format

The new Club World Cup with 32 teams debuted this year in the United States, where Chelsea were crowned champions. The tournament replaced the previous format and proved to be a magnet for international fans. FIFA modified the calendar to give greater weight to the competition, and now seeks to repeat the experience.

If it comes to fruition, it would be the second time that the country hosts this competition in its new era. The final decision is expected in 2027, after the World Cup.