Switzerland beats Colombia on penalties to reach World Cup quarterfinals

Rubén Vargas converted the decisive penalty in Vancouver, sending Switzerland past Colombia 4-3 after 120 scoreless minutes at BC Place. The shootout turned on one composed strike after a tense, chance-starved match, and Switzerland celebrated a return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since it hosted the tournament in 1954.

The knockout match on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, was tight from the start and stayed that way through regulation and extra time. Colombia kept the game level behind a steady performance from Camilo Vargas, while Switzerland waited for the break it eventually found from the spot. It was the last round-of-16 match of the 2026 World Cup played outside the United States.

Switzerland won the shootout after Gregor Kobel saved Cucho Hernández’s penalty and Dávinson Sánchez hit the crossbar. Those misses left Rubén Vargas with the decisive kick, and he finished it to send the Swiss into the last eight. The result ended Colombia’s tournament in a match that rarely opened up, with both sides forced into a test of nerve rather than attacking rhythm.

The victory sends Switzerland to face defending champion Argentina on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Argentina had already advanced with a 3-2 win over Egypt.