World Cup semifinals feature heavyweight matchups

By Noah Lavoie — 14 July 2026 — 3 min read

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which began on June 11 with an expanded field of 48 nations, has reached its semifinal stage. After a month of competition, four teams remain: France, Argentina, Spain, and England. All four teams have maintained an undefeated record in the tournament and hold the top four positions in the FIFA world rankings. The semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the winners advancing to Sunday’s final in New York and the losers competing in the third-place match the day before in Miami.

Argentina is aiming to become the first nation to secure consecutive titles since Brazil achieved this in 1958 and 1962. France, a finalist four years ago and winner of its second World Cup in 2018, seeks further success. Spain is looking for its second title after its initial win in 2010. For England, the wait for a World Cup victory has been lengthy, with their last triumph dating back to 1966.

France versus Spain

The first semifinal match will see France face Spain on Tuesday in Dallas. This encounter pits France‘s offensive strength against Spain‘s defensive solidity. France has scored 16 goals across seven matches, with Kylian Mbappé contributing eight goals, tying him with Lionel Messi as the tournament’s joint top scorer. However, France has yet to encounter a defense as formidable as Spain‘s.

Spain‘s defense, featuring veteran Aymeric Laporte and teenager Pau Cubarsi, has been largely impenetrable, achieving five clean sheets before conceding its first goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal victory against Belgium. Michael Olise has been a key creative force for France, providing five assists, a tournament high. For Spain, Mikel Merino has emerged as a significant impact player, scoring decisive goals after coming on as a substitute in both the round of 16 and quarterfinals.

A crucial battle in this match will be between Désiré Doué of France and Rodri of Spain. Doué has been influential in France‘s counterattacks, making key passes and runs. Given Spain‘s tendency to dominate possession, Doué‘s ability to transition play will be vital, and Rodri, Spain‘s defensive midfielder, will be tasked with containing him.

England versus Argentina

On Wednesday, England and Argentina will meet in Atlanta for their sixth World Cup encounter, marking their first-ever semifinal clash. Both teams have navigated challenging knockout games to reach this stage. Argentina boasts the tournament’s best attack with 17 goals, closely followed by England with 13, suggesting a potentially high-scoring affair.

Lionel Messi, at 39, has been a standout player for Argentina, leading the tournament with eight goals and two assists, scoring in all but one of his team’s six matches. His efficiency has been notable, with approximately 64 percent of his movement during games at a walking pace. For England, Jude Bellingham has been a highly influential player, scoring six goals. He is the first player in World Cup history to achieve consecutive multi-goal games in the knockout stage since Diego Maradona in 1986.

The midfield battle between Declan Rice of England and Alexis Mac Allister of Argentina is expected to be pivotal. Rice, as England‘s defensive anchor, will need to manage Argentina‘s press and transition play. If Mac Allister can control the midfield, Argentina‘s attack, led by Messi and Lautaro Martínez, could pose a significant threat to England‘s defense.

Historically, both England and Argentina have a storied rivalry, marked by significant moments in past World Cup meetings. Spain has only reached one World Cup semifinal previously, winning 1-0 against Germany in 2010. France has also experienced dramatic semifinal matches, including a notable loss to West Germany in 1982. England‘s last World Cup semifinal appearance was in 2018, where they lost to Croatia.

The four semifinalists are the highest-ranked teams in the competition, reflecting a tournament that, despite numerous underdog stories, has culminated in a final four many might have predicted. The winners of these matches will compete in the final on July 19.

Source: sportsnet.ca