Latin America Sports Daily for Thursday, July 16, 2026

Argentina vs England: World Cup semi-final in Atlanta

World Cup

Argentina, the reigning world champions, play England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta in Match 102 of the official schedule.

The semi-final is listed at 3pm ET in ESPN’s tournament bracket, with the winner progressing to face either Spain or the France–Spain semi-final survivor in the final.

Argentina arrived in the knockout phase having topped Group J, beating Algeria 3–0 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and later edging Egypt 3–2 in the Round of 16 according to the World Cup results record.

England reached the last four after eliminating co-host Mexico 3–2 in Match 92, with Yahoo’s World Cup coverage noting that all three co-hosts—Mexico, Canada and the USA—were knocked out in the Round of 16.

The Rio Times’ previous Latin America Sports Daily framed this tie as South America’s last World Cup hope against Europe’s, underlining its symbolic weight for fans across the continent.

Latin American path through the 2026 World Cup knockouts

Analysis

Five Latin American nations—Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay—reached the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, while Uruguay and Ecuador went out earlier, as summarised in The Rio Times’ regional round-up.

Paraguay’s knockout campaign opened against France at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Brazil met Norway in New Jersey, Mexico hosted England at Estadio Azteca, and Argentina faced Egypt at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with Colombia playing the Switzerland–Algeria winner on the same Tuesday.

Subsequent coverage confirms that Mexico defeated Ecuador in the Round of 32 but were eliminated 3–2 by England in Match 92, and that all three co-hosts exited in the Round of 16, leaving Argentina as Latin America’s lone semi-finalist.

Earlier in the tournament, Argentina’s group-stage record included a 3–0 win over Algeria in Kansas City, with goals from Romero, Messi and Fernández, highlighting their status as defending champions and group favourites.

Brazilian domestic results during the World Cup window

Football

Brazil’s domestic leagues have continued through the World Cup window, with ESPN’s fixtures page listing recent results such as Fluminense 3–1 Corinthians at Estadio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.

Other notable results on the same schedule include Bahia 3–0 Athletico Paranaense at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Cruzeiro 3–0 Vitória at Estadio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte and Botafogo 3–2 Mirassol at Estádio João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro.

Further down the card, Internacional drew 1–1 with São Paulo at Estadio Beira‑Rio in Porto Alegre, while Coritiba shared a 1–1 draw with Vasco da Gama at Couto Pereira in Curitiba, showing a spread of tight contests.

In Brazil’s lower divisions, América Mineiro lost 1–2 to Botafogo‑SP at Arena MRV, and Atlético Goianiense went down 1–2 to Náutico at Estádio Antônio Accioly, pointing to competitive balance across the national pyramid.

Copa Libertadores 2026 and Flamengo’s continental defence

Preview

The 2026 Copa Libertadores campaign is under way with Brazilian giants Flamengo listed as the current titleholder in SofaScore’s tournament overview.

CONMEBOL has designated Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, as the venue for the 2026 Libertadores final, scheduled for 28 November 2026 according to the official competition summary.

For foreign readers, the Libertadores remains South America’s premier club competition, roughly equivalent to the UEFA Champions League, and Flamengo’s status as defending champions frames them as one of the favourites to return to Montevideo.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

When and where do Argentina play England in the 2026 World Cup semi-final?

ESPN’s World Cup fixtures list and bracket state that Argentina face England in the semi-final at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with the match designated as Match 102 in the official schedule.

The same sources give a 3pm ET kick-off time, and The Rio Times has repeatedly framed the tie as South America’s last representative against a major European power.

How did Latin American teams perform in the 2026 World Cup knockouts?

The Rio Times’ regional analysis notes that five Latin American sides—Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay—made the Round of 16, while Uruguay and Ecuador were eliminated earlier in the tournament.

Subsequent reporting confirms that all three co-hosts, including Mexico, went out in the Round of 16, leaving Argentina as the region’s only team to reach the semi-finals after beating Egypt and progressing to face England.

What other major football competitions matter to Latin America right now?

Beyond the World Cup, the 2026 Copa Libertadores season is ongoing, with Flamengo described as the current titleholder and the final scheduled for 28 November 2026 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Domestically, Brazil’s Série A and lower divisions continue to produce significant results, such as Fluminense’s 3–1 win over Corinthians at the Maracanã and Bahia’s 3–0 victory over Athletico Paranaense at Arena Fonte Nova.