America fell far short of expectations

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has been a tournament to forget for the American continent. Despite being the first edition organized across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the region’s national teams fell one after another until Argentina was left as the only representative from the continent in the quarterfinals.

The contrast is striking. While several European teams and one African side continue competing for the title, America quickly lost most of its contenders and fell far short of the prominence many expected before the tournament began.

CONCACAF failed to take advantage of a home World Cup

The performance of the CONCACAF teams ended up being especially disappointing.

Canada was eliminated by Morocco in the Round of 16, Mexico fell in a dramatic match against England, and the United States suffered a heavy defeat to Belgium. Panama did not even make it past the group stage.

Despite having the advantage of playing the tournament at home, no team from the confederation managed to reach the final eight, a result that raises many doubts about the region’s footballing growth.

CONMEBOL also lost its main favorites

The biggest surprise was Brazil’s elimination, as they fell to an inspired Norway side in the Round of 16. Colombia, which had been one of the most solid teams during the group stage, was knocked out after losing to Switzerland in a penalty shootout.

Ecuador and Uruguay also failed to advance from the group stage, leaving CONMEBOL with a very different outlook than expected at the start of the competition.

Argentina carries the continent’s pride

The Albiceleste defeated Egypt in the Round of 16 and will now look for a place in the semifinals against Switzerland. With that, the reigning world champion carries the responsibility of keeping the continent’s hopes alive.

Argentina’s continued presence also prevents the quarterfinals from being dominated almost exclusively by European teams, reflecting the huge gap that has existed between continents during this edition.

The quarterfinal lineup reflects the shift in power in the tournament.

Europe placed Spain, France, England, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland, while Morocco represents Africa after another historic performance. America only has Argentina, a situation that highlights the continent’s poor collective performance.

Beyond Argentina’s run, the 2026 World Cup will be remembered as one of the most difficult editions for American teams, especially considering that the tournament is being played on the continent’s own soil.