VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Switzerland advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 1954, edging Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday after a scoreless draw in regulation and extra time. The match took place before a sellout crowd of 52,497 in Vancouver, the majority of whom supported Colombia.
The tightly contested game saw both teams struggle to break the deadlock, with Switzerland maintaining a patient and organized approach while Colombia relied on physical play and offensive pressure. Neither side was able to capitalize during regular or extra time, leading to the decisive shootout.
Swiss midfielder Ruben Vargas converted the winning penalty, sealing the victory after Colombia defender Davinson Sánchez struck the crossbar and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saved a shot from Cucho Hernández. Kobel, Switzerland’s goalkeeper, acknowledged the challenge posed by Colombia’s vocal support and the absence of several key Swiss players due to injury. The Swiss lineup was without promising young midfielder Johan Manzambi, who sustained an injury in training on Monday, as well as Luca Jaquez and Michel Aebischer.
“I think what a huge success this is — for us, for this team, for Switzerland, for such a small country,” Kobel said. “To be among the top eight teams in the world is incredible. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m incredibly proud.”
Colombia, who missed out on the 2022 World Cup, entered the tournament with hopes of replicating their deep run from 2014, when they reached the quarterfinals in Brazil. Midfielder John Arias reflected on the team’s disappointment. “The dream was enormous. The country showed us that it believed in us, that it lived every moment with us, and I think that only makes the pain even greater,” he said.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin described the achievement as the result of hard work and praised the upcoming challenge against the defending champions. Switzerland will face Argentina in the quarterfinal match on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri. “This is going to be a very interesting matchup from our point of view. We will try to compete against the reigning champions and it’s going to be amazing,” Yakin said. “Switzerland against Argentina in a quarterfinal. I’m so excited.”
During the match, both teams created notable scoring opportunities. Colombian Gustavo Puerta forced a save from Kobel in the 21st minute, while Swiss forward Fabian Reider also came close with shots that were saved or narrowly missed. In extra time, Colombia defender Jhon Lucumí struck the crossbar with a header, maintaining the tension until the shootout.
The match marks Switzerland’s best World Cup performance in more than seven decades and continues their consistent presence in the knockout stages, having reached the round of 16 in the previous three tournaments. This run in 2026, however, stands out as a significant milestone for the Swiss side.