Spain sets up World Cup semifinal clash with France

Spain will meet France in the World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Dallas Stadium, with kickoff set for 14:00 in Dallas and 21:00 in both Madrid and Paris. The pairing arrives with real historical weight: Spain has won the last two senior meetings with France and also eliminated Les Bleus 2-1 in the Euro 2024 semifinal.

Spain’s route to Dallas showed a side that can win in different ways but rarely without pressure. It beat Austria 3-0 in the round of 16 behind two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and one from Pedro Porro, then edged Portugal 1-0 on a stoppage-time strike from Mikel Merino in the 90+1 minute. In the quarterfinal, Spain outlasted Belgium 2-1 with goals from Fabian Ruiz and Merino, who has become the decisive late presence in two straight knockout wins.

FIFA said Spain reached the quarterfinals for the sixth time in a World Cup and did so with the tournament’s best defensive record, having not conceded a goal at that stage. That is the core of Spain’s identity under knockout pressure: controlled, difficult to break down, and capable of turning slim margins into progress. The same pattern also leaves a clear vulnerability for France to test. When Spain does not land an early knockout punch, the game tightens quickly, as the Portugal and Belgium results showed.

France brings its own historical ambition into the match, with a chance to reach a third consecutive World Cup final. FIFA noted that only West Germany, between 1982 and 1990, has managed that in Europe. That pursuit gives the semifinal a second layer of tension in Dallas: Spain is trying to turn defensive authority and late-game composure into another final, while France is trying to force its way into a rare place in World Cup history.