The round of 16 is nearly over in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the quarterfinal puzzle is nearly complete. Switzerland and Colombia will square off at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada, for the last spot in the final eight.
It’ll be a battle of dark horses, and like most racing analogies, there can be only one who is triumphant. But this fixture is possibly the most unpredictable among the collective knockout matches, with the odds only slightly in favor of whichever team can sustain the fitness needed to advance.
Switzerland’s 2-0 win over Algeria in the round of 32 was as definitive a performance as you could ask of a team in knockouts, thanks to goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye. Manager Murat Yakin might make some rotations depending on the health of others. Silvan Widmer was dealing with a hip issue but was a sub in the previous match, and Luca Jaquez and Michel Aebischer are the main players who might miss significant time against Colombia.
If Johan Manzambi can keep up his breakout tournament performances, with Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler running the midfield, then the squad could make things difficult for a Colombia side that will want to be on the ball.
Colombia head into the round of 16 after a narrow 1-0 win over Ghana. The squad will hopefully be resettled after losing star striker Jhon Cordoba just eight minutes into the game. After the 14th-minute tally by John Arias, the squad struggled to break through on goal for an insurance goal and ultimately settled for a defensive shape to hang on for the victory.
Head coach Nestor Lorenzo will now have to make a high-stakes decision on whether to start 34-year-old James Rodriguez, who has no goals or assists in his four appearances in this tournament, though having Luis Suarez, with his something-to-prove vibe, could be another option.
How to watch Switzerland vs Colombia
Date: Tuesday, July 7 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: BC Place — Vancouver, British Columbia
TV: Fox (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Odds: Switzerland +250 | Draw +700 | Colombia -600
Switzerland vs Colombia predicted starting lineups
Switzerland: Gregor Kobel; Denis Zakaria, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler; Dan Ndoye, Johan Manzambi, Ruben Vargas; Breel Embolo
Colombia: Camilo Vargas; Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Jhon Lucumi, Johan Mojica; Gustavo Puerta, Jefferson Lerma, Jhon Arias; James Rodriguez, Luis Suarez, Luis Diaz
Keep up with the World Cup standings here.
Switzerland vs Colombia pick, prediction
Which dark horse will lead the race? It’s truly up for grabs, but maybe the team with the healthier injury report will go further in the tournament. Pick: Switzerland 2, Colombia 1
Check out our World Cup expert predictions.
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Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the just in news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.
The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
