Your World Cup team's been knocked out. Who should you support now?

So, your team of choice has been knocked out of the World Cup. You want to keep watching, but you need a rooting interest to stay invested.

The idea of supporting any team but your own may be unfathomable to some, but we're not going to call you a fair-weather fan. In fact, we're here to help, with a handy guide to the quarterfinalists.

We've included the odds of each team winning the final, based on the consensus of various U.S. sportsbooks as of Wednesday, and even thrown in the chants you need to fit right in. Here are your eight options, in alphabetical order.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: +400 (bet $10, win $40)

STAR PLAYER: Have you heard of this man called Lionel Messi?

WHAT TO KNOW: The Argentines are looking to become the first nation to retain the men's World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Messi — yes, him — is the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 21 goals and has a tournament-topping eight goals this year.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Vamos, vamos Argentina” (“Let's go, Argentina”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Safe bets, flavorful steak, supremely talented No. 10s.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: 30-1 (bet $10, win $300)

STAR PLAYERS: Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois

WHAT TO KNOW: The Belgians eliminated the United States in the round of 16 — and many around the world felt justice was served following President Donald Trump's intervention to get Folarin Balogun back in the U.S. team lineup for the match. There were low pre-tournament expectations around Belgium, with so few of its longtime stalwarts remaining in the squad.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Waar is dat feestje” (Where is the party”) or “Tous ensemble” (“All together”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Waffles, chocolate, topical dance celebrations, long-lasting yet underperforming golden generations.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: +450 (bet $10, win $45)

STAR PLAYERS: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham

WHAT TO KNOW: It hasn't been spoken about much ... but England's men's team hasn't won a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup. The English invented soccer but have rarely been the best at it.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “It's coming home”

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Oasis, lions, fish and chips, decades of pain.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: +180 (bet $10, win $18)

STAR PLAYERS: Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise

WHAT TO KNOW: France was the champion in 2018, the runner-up in 2022 and many people's favorite this year. France's departing coach, Didier Deschamps, is already a World Cup great, having won the title as France's captain in 1998 and led the team to the trophy 20 years later.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Allez les bleus” (“Go Blues”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Baguettes, big towers, Champagne, fearsome attacks.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: 27-1 (bet $10, win $270)

STAR PLAYERS: Achraf Hakimi, Yassine Bounou

WHAT TO KNOW: In 2022, Morocco became the first African or Arab nation to reach the World Cup semifinals in a seminal moment for the sport. The Moroccans can do it again four years later — but they'll need to beat the same team, France, that eliminated them in the semis four years ago.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Dima Maghrib” (“Morocco Forever”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Deserts, souks, underdogs.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: 14-1 (bet $10, win $140)

STAR PLAYERS: Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard

WHAT TO KNOW: The Norwegians are playing at their first men's World Cup since 1998 and have never gotten this far. Both in stadiums and back home, their fans have become synonymous with their Viking Row performances.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Ro! Ro!” (“Row! Row!”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Rowing, Snapchat, big blond strikers, beating Brazil.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: +360 (bet $10, win $36)

STAR PLAYERS: Lamine Yamal, Rodri

WHAT TO KNOW: Spain hasn't conceded a goal this tournament — yep, not even one in five games. And in Yamal, the team has a winger who was a 16-year-old revelation on its way to winning the European Championship in 2024. It's his birthday on Monday, when he'll be the veteran age of 19.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Lolololo”

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Tapas, shutouts, possession soccer, precocious wingers.

ODDS OF LIFTING THE TROPHY: The Swiss are the longest shot on the board in many sportsbooks. They are 30-1 or more depending on the location.

STAR PLAYERS: Granit Xhaka, Johan Manzambi

WHAT TO KNOW: The Swiss are consistently good at the European Championship tournament and are now finally breaking through at World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years. They are tough to beat in 90 minutes.

CHANT OF CHOICE: “Hopp Schwiiz” or “Hop Suisse” (“Go Switzerland”)

CHOOSE THIS TEAM IF YOU LIKE: Roger Federer, multiple national languages, more cowbell, immigration, good public transport.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

French fans react after France defeated Morocco during their World Cup quarterfinal soccer match, Friday July 10, 2026, in Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

Spain fans celebrate their team's win over Belgium in their quarterfinal World Cup soccer match, at a public watch party in Miami Beach, Fla., Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Fans celebrate after Morocco defeated Canada in a World Cup round of 16 soccer match, in Rabat Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo)

Argentine Angus beef hangs suspended over an outdoor fire as Argentina fans gather to celebrate and cheer on their team at a beachfront park in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, July 2, 2026, one day ahead of their World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Cape Verde. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

England's Harry Kane (9) and England's Jude Bellingham (10) during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Chilean social media influencer Ariel Osses works on covering his car with World Cup soccer album stickers, at a park in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, July 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Fans react to a United States loss during a watch party for a World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium at the KC Live! entertainment district Monday, July 6, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has repeatedly encouraged voters to pretend he's on the ballot this Election Day. He's not, of course. But there is reason to believe that Tuesday's midterms, above all, will be a referendum on his performance over the last two years.

History, polling and early voting numbers suggest it could be a difficult night for Trump's Republican Party, though the political map, not to mention a fresh round of gerrymandering, could limit Democratic gains.

Voters are in the mood for change, according to the AP Voter Poll, which found that roughly three-quarters of voters say they feel “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the way things are going in the country today. Most appear to blame the Trump administration for high costs. About 6 in 10 say higher than usual prices are “more because of Trump’s policies” rather than “more because of factors outside Trump’s control.”

Additionally, about 70% of voters want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the presidency.

Democrats are looking to win majorities in the House and Senate, which would curb Trump's power after he's faced few limits from a compliant Republican-controlled Congress. Several key governors’ offices also are up for grabs.

More than 59 million Americans already had voted before Tuesday, but many more ballots will be cast on Election Day, and government watchdog groups worry that Trump and his loyalists could interfere with the voting process. Fearing a worst-case scenario, Democrats and nonpartisan watchdogs have trained tens of thousands of volunteers to monitor polling places.

Here's what we're watching Tuesday:

The Republican president is trying to defy history, which shows that in almost every modern midterm election the party in the White House has lost seats in Congress — sometimes many of them.

Democrats certainly hope that's the case this year. The party is optimistic, given Trump's dismal approval ratings and voter concerns about the war with Iran and the surging price of gas and other daily necessities.

The AP Voter Poll, an expansive survey of the electorate, suggests most are deeply unhappy with Trump, with roughly 6 in 10 saying they disapprove of how he’s handling the presidency.

About 4 in 10 say the economy is the most important issue facing the country, while 3 in 10 say the most important issue is democracy, according to the poll, well above the number who said the same about crime, healthcare and immigration.

Trump is betting that his base of white working-class voters, which fueled his presidential victories in 2016 and 2024, can save his Republican allies if they show up in great numbers. Heading into Election Day, however, there are signs that Democrats are more fired up to vote against him and his party.

We're about to learn whether Trump and his coalition are still strong enough to stave off a political beatdown. Specifically, look to see whether Hispanic and Black voters and younger people who swung toward Trump two years ago now rebuke him.

The answer will have huge implications in the midterms and the next presidential cycle.

It doesn't happen often.

Since World War II, the House and Senate have flipped from one party to the other in the same midterm just three times: 1946, 1994 and 2006. The common thread when it does happen is an electorate clamoring for change or broad frustration with the sitting president.

This year has both, and Democrats are trying to capitalize on the opportunity.

Strategists in both parties believe Democrats are on track to win a majority in the House, where Republicans began the current Congress with a slim margin of 220-215.

It's unclear how big of a swing there could be, however. Democrats are targeting more than 60 districts, including many where Trump won by double digits. But between redistricting and the deep partisan divide between metropolitan and rural America, there simply aren't as many competitive races as there were in some previous years when the House flipped, including 2018, when Democrats netted 40 more seats.

Early tells could be Pennsylvania's 1st District, where Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is trying to hold his suburban Philadelphia seat; Florida's redrawn 22nd and 25th Districts, both of which were supposed to be Republican pickups after redistricting this spring; Virginia's 2nd District rematch between Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans and Democratic former Rep. Elaine Luria; and Virginia's 1st District, where Democrat Shannon Taylor, a local prosecutor, is challenging Republican Rep. Rob Wittman.

The Senate, meanwhile, is up for grabs. Republicans currently have a 53-47 advantage. To net the four seats that Democrats need to take control, they must win states that Trump won. Among their targets: Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Alaska.

Early East Coast results could offer clues. Democrat Roy Cooper is favored to flip an open North Carolina seat, and Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is widely expected to win reelection in Georgia. If one or both of those outcomes don't happen, or if the margins are razor-thin, it could forecast a stronger-than-expected Republican performance elsewhere.

It's a question not usually asked in U.S. politics.

The world is watching to see whether the president leverages the vast resources of the federal government to interfere with the election. Based on recent rhetoric, legal action and his yearslong record of promoting baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in elections he loses, there is reason to take the threat seriously.

In recent days, the Trump administration hinted at federal intervention in Alaska after a judge rejected his Justice Department's lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Senate race if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses. Trump called the situation "voter fraud at the highest level.” The administration also tried and failed to block California from counting 20,000 ballots from people the federal government has identified as “likely” noncitizens.

Trump’s Department of Justice is sending about 1,000 department staff to observe voting and ensure federal laws are being followed. Election observers are more concerned that Trump may dispatch federal immigration agents or the National Guard to intimidate voters in large Democratic precincts.

The Trump administration says it has no current plans to do so.

Still, a vast election protection effort will be on display this week featuring hundreds of Democratic groups and government watchdogs.

While Trump's standing has cratered in 2026, Democrats' brand as a whole isn't much to brag about. That will leave the party's major factions — the progressive left flank and the liberal-to-moderate establishment — parsing the outcomes to claim any advantage in Democrats' tug-of-war over party identity.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is progressives' highest-profile candidate, and the movement would have a feather in its cap should he defeat Republican Mike Rogers to keep the seat in Democrats' hands. It's one thing for New Yorkers to elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, as mayor. It's quite another for an unabashed progressive like El-Sayed to carry a perennial battleground state that helped elect Trump twice.

On the other hand, progressives could lose leverage if their candidates are unsuccessful. Senate losses in Michigan and Minnesota — where Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan is defending a Democratic-held open seat against Republican Michele Tafoya — could cost Democrats control of the Senate and lead to serious finger pointing.

Still another possibility is that Democrats of all ideological stripes win, piling up Senate, House and gubernatorial victories that depend on urban, suburban and rural voters. That scenario would do little to resolve the discussion over party identity and would all but guarantee a wide-open, rollicking presidential nominating fight.

Trump set off a tempest in Texas last year when he pushed the most populous Republican-run state to redraw congressional boundaries. California Gov. Gavin Newsom answered by persuading his state's voters to respond in kind. Democratic and Republican states followed. Along the way, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted part of the Voting Rights Act, thus allowing several Southern states to redraw districts that had been majority or near-majority Black.

On paper, the results suggest a net shift of nine seats to Republicans. But the gerrymandering meant spreading conservative supporters across more districts. In Florida and Texas, especially, the Republican plan counted on getting help from Latinos and other nonwhite voters who backed Trump in 2024 — and that may not happen.

Tuesday's results will settle whether redistricting ends up being a clear Republican benefit or a reminder that the law of unintended consequences can apply in politics, too.

Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers greets people at an election eve event Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Rochester Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a campaign event in San Antonio, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, stands on a stage for a photo with Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom during a campaign event in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Democratic candidate U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff shakes hands with a supporter at his final campaign event before Election Day, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Ga. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, left, speaks with President Donald Trump on stage during a campaign rally at the Five Flags Event Center, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, in Dubuque, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)