Two wins to go. How can your group attain the ultimate and win the World Cup 2026? Click on here to seek out out.
Who: France vs Spain
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Semifinal 1
The place: Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the US
When: Tuesday at 2pm (19:00 GMT)
How you can observe: We may have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT earlier than our reside textual content commentary stream.
Beneficial Tales
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Seize your popcorn, crack open a chilly one – it’s time for the World Cup semifinals.
Two-time world champions France – frontrunners so as to add one other one to their tally – face European champions Spain within the greatest match to this point of the 2026 World Cup.
Historical past is inside touching distance for Les Bleus, who can turn out to be solely the second European nation to play three successive World Cup finals after West Germany.
However standing in France’s means is a slick and durable Spain, the acquainted foes with whom they share a storied rivalry.
Tuesday’s opening closing 4 fixture shall be a conflict of kinds: France’s fiery, irrepressible attacking going up towards Spain’s managed, cautious recreation.
Right here’s all you might want to know in regards to the first semifinal:
How did France and Spain attain the semifinals?
France topped Group I with an ideal document of 9 factors, successful towards Norway, Senegal and Iraq. They thrashed Sweden 3-0 within the spherical of 32 earlier than beating a stubborn Paraguay side 1-0 within the final 16 and crusing into the semifinals with a dominant 2-0 win over Morocco.
Spain topped Group H with seven factors, beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay and drawing with Cape Verde. They started their knockout marketing campaign with a 3-0 thrashing of Austria within the spherical of 32 earlier than beating Portugal 1-0 with a late objective in an Iberian soccer derby within the spherical of 16.
Their path to the semifinals was confirmed with a late 2-1 win over Belgium.
‘This France group has not achieved something but’: Mbappe
France’s enviable attacking unit has delivered like no different within the match.
The dazzling Kylian Mbappe has scored eight targets in 5 video games, making him the present chief within the race for the Golden Boot, whereas Ousmane Dembele has bagged 5 targets. Bradley Barcola has additionally chipped in two, and Michael Olise is their finest playmaker with 5 assists.
These figures have prompted comparisons with the greats of the previous, however regardless of their extremely spectacular World Cup marketing campaign their captain Mbappe mentioned the present crop of gamers haven’t but reached the essential level of their title journey.
“I used to be a champion [in 2018] and a World Cup runner-up [in 2022], and this group has not achieved something but,” mentioned Mbappe, who has 20 targets from 20 appearances in three World Cup tournaments, with 4 of these targets coming within the finals.
“It’s, nevertheless, the one who has the largest potential. There are such a lot of qualities on this squad; it lets you dream.”
France have reached 4 of the final seven World Cup finals, lifting the trophy in 1998 and 2018, and shedding in 2006 and 2022.
In the event that they beat Spain, France will maintain comparisons with West Germany, arguably the final word match nation, with 4 finals between 1974 and 1990.
‘This can be a closing earlier than the ultimate’: Spain coach
In contrast to France, who’re a extremely attacking facet, Spain have opted for a managed method. La Roja’s tight defence has conceded simply as soon as – towards Belgium within the quarterfinals – whereas Rodri, Pedri and Dani Olmo hardly ever cede management in midfield.
Quickly after Spain secured their spot within the semifinals, coach Luis de la Fuente emphasised the significance of their upcoming conflict with France, including that his FIFA world-ranked quantity three facet is able to beating any group.
“It’s not an exaggeration to explain this match as a closing earlier than the ultimate,” he mentioned.
“We’re one of many groups able to reaching the ultimate. Any further, we’re totally centered on France.”
“We’re conscious of their immense potential, however we additionally know that we’re the one group to have crushed them in two semifinals,” he added.
Certainly, Spain defeated France within the Euro 2024 semifinals on their approach to turning into European champions, and within the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinals.
France vs Spain prediction
Opta’s supercomputer offers France a 42.1 p.c likelihood of successful in regulation time, whereas Spain’s probabilities of successful are 31.8 p.c.
The mannequin estimates a 26.1 p.c likelihood of the sport going to further time.
Who will the winner face within the closing?
The winner of the France vs Spain semifinal will face both England or Argentina in Sunday’s closing in New Jersey.
France vs Spain: Head-to-head
France and Spain are acquainted foes, having confronted one another 38 instances so far.
Spain maintain the higher hand of their head-to-head document, having gained 18 matches. France have gained 13 instances, whereas seven matches resulted in a draw.
Their final assembly was the Nations League semifinal performed in Germany a few 12 months in the past, when Spain thrashed France 5-4 in an exhilarating contest with Yamal’s brace sending them via.
France vs Spain: Final 5 matches
- Spain 5-4 France (UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinals)
- Spain 2-1 France (Euro 2024 semifinals)
- Spain 1-2 France (UEFA Nations League 2021 closing)
- France 0-2 Spain (worldwide pleasant, 2017)
- France 1-0 Spain (worldwide pleasant, 2014)
France vs Spain: The place to look at, kickoff time
- France: beIN Sports activities, M6, M6+ (9pm, Central European Summer season Time)
- Spain: DAZN Mundial (9pm, Central European Summer season Time)
- United Kingdom: TBA (8pm, British Summer season Time)
- USA: Fox, Fox One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Community, Peacock (3pm, Jap Daylight Time)
To verify the TV listings to your nation, head to FIFA’s TV itemizing schedule here.
France vs Spain: Workforce information
France’s midfielders Kone (bodily discomfort) and Tchouameni (groin) are uncertain, whereas defenders Upamecano and Saliba (again harm) didn’t participate in Saturday’s coaching session.
No accidents have been reported within the Spain camp.
France’s predicted lineup
(4-2-3-1): Maignan (goalkeeper); Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe
Spain’s predicted lineup
(4-2-3-1): Simon (goalkeeper); Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal
