Triple Hosting Nations Knocked Out of Global Soccer Championship

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has witnessed a historic exit of its joint hosts, the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the US being the last to fall, succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday in Seattle.

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This loss marks the culmination of a disappointing tournament for the three co-hosts, each of whom reached the knockout stage on home soil but failed to advance to the quarter-finals.

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Canada was the first to be eliminated, losing 3-0 to Morocco in the Round of 16 on Saturday, July 4, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice and Soufiane Rahimi sealing the result with a late strike.

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Canada's campaign was further hindered by injuries, notably to star winger Alphonso Davies, which impacted their performance throughout the tournament.

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Mexico followed suit, suffering a 3-2 defeat to England on Sunday at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, in front of a crowd exceeding 80,000 fans, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice in a 98-second span.

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Harry Kane's penalty conversion after England was reduced to 10 men ultimately sealed Mexico's fate, ending their bid for a first quarter-final appearance since hosting the tournament in 1986.

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In the aftermath of Mexico's exit, coach Javier Aguirre is set to be replaced by his assistant, Rafael Marquez, marking a significant change in the team's leadership.

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The United States' elimination on Monday finalized the sweep of the co-hosts, with Belgium emerging as 4-1 winners at Lumen Field in Seattle, amidst controversy surrounding a reinstated red card against US forward Folarin Balogun and comments from US President Donald Trump.

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The 2026 World Cup is notable for being the first to be jointly hosted by three nations and the first with an expanded 48-team format, having commenced on June 11 and scheduled to conclude on July 19.

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The tournament, spanning 16 cities across the three host nations, will now see a quarter-final field composed entirely of non-host nations, including Morocco, France, Norway, Spain, Belgium, England, Argentina, and Egypt or Switzerland and Colombia, with the final pairings yet to be determined.