The World Cup quarter-final stage begins today, with the tournament having already been reduced from 48 teams to eight. Multiple outlets provide a guide to the quarter-final ties, marking the point at which teams compete for places in the semi-finals. The quarter-finals are described as the next step in determining who will ultimately win the tournament. Coverage notes that the competition is now one stage closer to identifying the side that will lift the trophy on July 19, indicating the event date for the final. Across the sources, the framing is consistent: the quarter-finals are underway, the remaining teams number eight, and each tie is presented as a match-up that determines qualification to the last four. No alternative outcomes or specific match results are stated in the provided summaries; instead, the focus is on the transition into the quarter-finals and the broader tournament timeline leading to the final.