[Fantasy Preview] Our Exclusive Predictions for Tomorrow's 2 World Cup Quarterfinal Matches — Norway's No. 10 Ødegaard with the Decisive Strike, Argentina Show Their Class with a 2-0 Win via Messi & Álvarez
The editorial team shares their imaginative predictions for the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals on July 12: Norway vs. England and Argentina vs. Switzerland. From Ødegaard's match-winning goal to a Messi penalty, we give you an early taste of the highlights to watch for.
Tomorrow, July 12th (Sunday), WC 2026 reaches the final two quarterfinal matches: Norway vs England and Argentina vs Switzerland. This article is purely the editorial team's "fantasy" preview and does not predict or guarantee actual results. We deliver the pre-kickoff excitement through our own original script.
calendar_month Tomorrow's Two Quarterfinal Matches
| Match | Kickoff (Japan Time) | Venue | Broadcast |
| article Norway vs England | 7/12 (Sun) 06:00 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami) | Fuji TV / DAZN / NHK BS4K |
| article Argentina vs Switzerland | 7/12 (Sun) 10:00 | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City) | NHK General / DAZN / NHK BS4K |
local_fire_department Their Runs So Far
- Norway: In the Round of 16, Haaland scored two consecutive goals late in the second half, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory to advance to the quarterfinals.
- England: In the Round of 16, Bellingham scored twice in the first half, with Kane adding another in a 3-2 shootout victory.
- Argentina: In the Round of 32, they won 3-2 after extra time, and in the Round of 16 they again edged out a 3-2 thriller with goals from Messi and Romero.
- Switzerland: In the Round of 16, the match remained scoreless before going to a penalty shootout, which they won 4-3. Their solid defense has been the hallmark of their run.
sports_soccer Fantasy Preview ① Norway vs England — Who Will Control the No. 10?
We fantasize about a match where Norway controls possession throughout. With captain Odegaard as the focal point, they move the ball carefully, while the forward line spreads wide to open up space in the England defense.
The deadlock is broken, as one might expect, from a set piece. Haaland reacts to a loose ball and taps it in, giving Norway the lead.
But England are not about to stay silent. Bellingham unleashes a fierce strike from mid-range, drilling the ball into the bottom-left corner to draw level. The match remains tightly balanced heading into the final stages of the second half.
In the second half, Kane comes close on several occasions, but the Norway goalkeeper stands firm and no goal comes.
Then, it is Odegaard who ultimately decides the match. He drives forward from central positions, breaks down the defense, and calmly finishes one-on-one against the goalkeeper to take the lead. Norway defeat England 2-1 to book their first-ever semifinal berth — or so goes the editorial team's fantasy.
| Editorial Predicted Score | Norway 2-1 England |
| Predicted Scorers | E. Haaland, M. Odegaard (Norway) / J. Bellingham (England) |
sports_soccer Fantasy Preview ② Argentina vs Switzerland — Unlocking a Resolute Defense with Individual Brilliance
In the other match, we fantasize that Switzerland spend long stretches sitting deep and defending. Yet rather than simply absorbing pressure, they use Xhaka as the springboard for counter-attacks down the flanks, occasionally threatening the Argentina backline.
Nevertheless, with Messi holding the ball up in the forward line, Argentina steadily take control of the game.
The opening goal goes to Alvarez. He touches in a layoff from Messi first-time to give Argentina the lead.
In the second half, Switzerland's comeback never materializes, and Argentina earn a penalty. Messi himself steps up to the spot — his second goal of the day and another to add to his tournament tally — and coolly converts for the second. Argentina dismiss Switzerland 2-0 in commanding fashion to advance to the semifinals — or so goes the editorial team's fantasy.
| Editorial Predicted Score | Argentina 2-0 Switzerland |
| Predicted Scorers | J. Alvarez, L. Messi (PK) (Argentina) |
star Our Predictions in Summary
| Match | Editorial Prediction | Key Point |
| Norway vs England | Norway win 2-1 | Odegaard pulls the strings and delivers the winner himself |
| Argentina vs Switzerland | Argentina win 2-0 | Individual brilliance from Messi & Alvarez overcomes the defensive setup |
Of course, this is nothing more than the editorial team's "fantasy." The two-headed threat of Odegaard and Haaland, the clinical instincts of Bellingham and Kane, the combination play of Messi and Alvarez — no one truly knows what will unfold on the pitch. For both matches kicking off from 6:00 AM Japan time on Sunday, 7/12, be sure to follow the real-time drama on the article match details page and the article live updates.