​INGLEWOOD, CA — Spain opened the scoring in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals against Belgium on Friday, July 10, finding the net in the 29th minute at SoFi Stadium to grab the lead. The buildup had been building toward a clear chance, and the breakthrough came via a deflection. Dani Olmo looked to strike from inside the penalty area, but his attempt was blocked by Belgian defenders. Fabián Ruiz, however, was perfectly positioned to capitalize on the rebound and tucked the ball home for his first World Cup goal, giving Spain the edge.
Spain has relied on a stingy defense to this point, having not conceded a single goal in the tournament. If that trend continues, La Roja could be positioned to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2010. The 2026 World Cup, the largest in history, features 48 teams across 16 host cities in three countries, with USA TODAY sending reporters everywhere to cover the action. The coverage includes the World Cup: Extra Time newsletter, a WhatsApp channel for updates, and extensive on-the-ground reporting. In the United States, all matches are broadcast on Fox and FS1, with Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo and streaming on Peacock.
As the tournament advances into its knockout phase, the World Cup format becomes single elimination. The 32 teams remaining are arranged in a bracket, with winners advancing and the field halving through each round until the final is decided. The usual exception is that the two semifinal losers meet in a third-place playoff before the World Cup final.
Upcoming matches included in this blueprint of the bracket: July 10 — Spain vs. Belgium in Inglewood; July 14 — the France winner in Inglewood facing the Arlington winner; July 15 — the Miami winner versus the Kansas City winner in Atlanta; July 19 — a match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This story originated from USA TODAY’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup, including the question of who scored for Spain against Belgium and the highlight goal from Fabián Ruiz.