Spain beats France 2-0 to reach World Cup final

Spain beat France 2-0 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and turned a semifinal into a display of control from the opening minutes. La Roja dictated the tempo, held the territory and never let Kylian Mbappé’s attack settle, advancing to the World Cup final on goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.

Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute after Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal. Spain then kept its composure and its grip on the match, and Porro made the result safe in the 58th minute with the second goal. By full time, Spain had not only beaten one of the tournament’s favorite attacks, it had done so without conceding, preserving a defensive record that had allowed just one goal before the semifinal.

The result sends Spain to its second World Cup final and its first since 2010, a milestone that underlines how complete Luis de la Fuente’s team has been in this tournament. De la Fuente had described the matchup with France as “a final before the final,” and Spain played like a side that arrived prepared for that level of pressure. Pedro Porro was named Player of the Match after a performance that capped a night in which Spain looked sharper in every phase.

France entered the semifinal with the expectation of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final, but Spain shut down that path before it developed. Mbappé later admitted France was outplayed tactically and technically, a blunt assessment that matched the flow of the game in Arlington. Spain’s defensive shape, its control in midfield and its willingness to attack decisively when chances appeared left France chasing the match rather than shaping it.

Spain will play the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, against the winner of Argentina against England. After this performance, Spain heads there not just as a finalist, but as the clearest tactical standard-bearer left in the tournament.