World Cup semifinals set, France meets Spain, England faces Argentina

France met Spain at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday as the World Cup narrowed to four teams, with England set to face Argentina on Wednesday and no first-time champion left in the field. The winners will move on to the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, while the losers will play for the bronze medal on July 18.

The 2026 tournament has stretched to 48 teams, 104 matches and 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States, but the last stage has brought the competition back to a familiar place: the established powers. France are chasing a third straight final after 2018 and 2022. Spain are pursuing a second star on their crest. Argentina are trying to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup and would be seeking a fourth title overall. England, meanwhile, are still chasing only their second final after lifting the trophy in 1966.

The France-Spain match in Dallas brings two different national football identities into the same frame. France have reached seven World Cup semifinals in their history, a record that reflects how often they have stayed inside the sport’s elite bracket. Spain arrive with a chance to push their own case at the top end of the game, while Kylian Mbappe gives France another route to decide a knockout match in one moment.

England’s meeting with Argentina carries the sharpest historical edge. The two countries will meet at a World Cup for the sixth time, with the rivalry marked by England’s 1-0 win in 1966, Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final victory in 1986 that included Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and his second goal, and Argentina’s penalty shootout win in the 1998 round of 16. It is also a collision of eras, with England’s younger core led by Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise and Harry Kane facing an Argentina side built around Lionel Messi and the demands of protecting a title.

FIFA’s semifinal numbers underline how rare this stage remains even for giants: France have reached seven semifinals, Argentina five and England three. The bracket now says the same thing the records do: the modern game may be bigger than ever, but the ending still belongs to the teams that know how to win under pressure.