FIFA World Cup 2026 AS IT HAPPENED, day 29: Spain beat Belgium in quarter-final; Results, highlights, latest news; Thibaut Courtois subbed off in tears after injury

We’ll blow the full-time whistle there, folks.

In the two quarter-finals played so far, France beat Morocco 2-0 and Spain defeated Belgium 2-1.

From 7am tomorrow (AEST), Erling Haaland’s Norway’s will take on Harry Kane’s England.

And from 11am, Lionel Messi’s Argentina will face Granit Xhaka’s Switzerland.

Catch you then!

Thibaut Courtois has backed Senne Lammens to “only get stronger” after his blunder sent Belgium crashing out of the World Cup.

“I gave him a big hug. He’s a great goalkeeper. You only get stronger from this,” Courtois said.

“Eventually you cannot say much more to him or give him much more advice. He is a strong guy, strong personality. I’m sure he’ll be fine.

“He will have some holidays and then regroup in Manchester and have a great season.”

Courtois is Real Madrid’s goalkeeper and one of the greatest with the gloves of all time.

Lammens is Manchester United’s goalkeeper.

World Cup ticket resale prices dropped for quarter-final matches following the elimination of co-hosts United States and Mexico, and FIFA has nearly 1200 seats on sale for the final at US$7,380.

The site TickPick listed the lowest price for the Spain-Belgium game at $1381, down from $3261 before the US lost to Belgium in the round of 16.

The lowest price for the England-Norway match was $2049, down from $3866 before England defeated Mexico to reach the quarter-finals.

It listed the lowest price for the Argentina-Switzerland game at $1142, down from $2381 before the round of 16.

Standing outside SoFi Stadium on Friday, Jake van Baarsel said he bought tickets two days earlier. The 65-year-old from Riverside, California said he hadn’t previously planned on attending because he knew ticket prices were so high. But when his son called to tell him he obtained seats at a lower price, he decided to pay for two at $1000 each to share the moment with his 13-year-old grandson.

“It’s one of those things – it’s a memory maker for my grandson and me,” he said.

“So how much money do you put on a memory?

“So yeah, it’s steep for a game, but we enjoy.”

Kourosh Modarress, 68, of Los Angeles, said his family bought hospitality tickets at $7000 each after they failed to obtain other tickets in one of FIFA’s sales rounds.

“I think it’s highway robbery,” he said.

Spain have overcome Belgium 2-1 to advance to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The Spanish are now set for a blockbuster semi-final against tournament favourites France in Dallas on Wednesday morning (AEST).

Spain scored via Mikel Merino in the 88th minute to take a 2-1 lead in Los Angeles.

The world No.2 Spain dominated the match. They had 55 per cent possession to Belgium’s 38, and 16 shots to the opposition’s five.

The France-Spain match will see the two top-ranked teams in the world square off.

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