World Cup Co-hosts Crash Out as the United States, Mexico and Canada are all eliminated before the 2026 tournament quarter-finals

The United States, Mexico and Canada, the three co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, have all been eliminated before the quarter-finals after the United States suffered a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16, bringing a disappointing end to the hosts’ collective campaign.

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The United States became the final co-host to exit the tournament on Monday after Belgium delivered a commanding performance at Lumen Field in Seattle. The defeat completed an unwanted milestone, with none of the three host nations progressing beyond the last 16 despite enjoying home support throughout the competition.

Canada were the first of the co-hosts to bow out after a 3-0 defeat to Morocco on July 4. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice before Soufiane Rahimi added a late third goal, while Canada’s campaign was further undermined by injury concerns surrounding captain Alphonso Davies.

Mexico followed a day later after losing 3-2 to England before more than 80,000 supporters at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Jude Bellingham struck twice in just 98 seconds during the first half, while Harry Kane converted a penalty to help England secure victory despite finishing the match with 10 players.

Following Mexico’s elimination, reports indicate that head coach Javier Aguirre is expected to hand over the national team to assistant coach Rafael Márquez, signalling the beginning of another rebuilding phase ahead of future international competitions.

The United States’ defeat to Belgium concluded the disappointing run for the host nations. The build-up to the match had been overshadowed by debate surrounding the reinstatement of a red card involving forward Folarin Balogun, as well as comments from US President Donald Trump, but Belgium ultimately proved too strong on the pitch.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to be jointly hosted by three countries and the first to feature an expanded 48-team format. The tournament, which began on June 11, is being staged across 16 cities, including 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada, with the final scheduled for July 19.

With the three hosts now eliminated, the remaining contenders for the title are all visiting nations, including Belgium, England, Spain, France, Norway, Morocco, Argentina, and the winner of the remaining Round of 16 ties.

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The outcome guarantees that the first 48-team World Cup will crown a champion from outside the host countries, continuing a trend in which home advantage has not always translated into deep tournament success.