FIFA World Cup brackets: Semifinal schedule, France vs Spain prediction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached its last four, with France and Spain acceptable to unfastened the semifinals successful Dallas connected Tuesday earlier Argentina look England successful Atlanta a time later.

France’s prolific onslaught volition travel up against Spain’s formidable defence successful the archetypal semifinal, portion the 2nd volition revive 1 of the World Cup’s astir historical rivalries.

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Away from the pitch, Norway’s players received a heroes’ invited successful Oslo, Erling Haaland’s antithetic raccoon souvenir went viral, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino said a connection to grow the 2030 tourney to 64 teams would beryllium considered.

Here is what you request to cognize astir the World Cup semifinals:

What is the docket for the archetypal semifinal?

• France vs Spain, connected Tuesday, July 14 (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Which teams person made it to the semifinals?

These are the teams warring for a spot successful the World Cup final:

• France (defeated Morocco 2-0)
• Spain (defeated Belgium 2-1)
• England (defeated Norway 2-1)
• Argentina (defeated Switzerland 3-1 in other time)

What are the predictions for France vs Spain?

Both sides person reached the last 4 done contrasting styles, with Spain relying connected an outstanding antiaircraft grounds and France powered by 1 of the tournament’s astir unsafe attacks. Spain person faced lone 7 shots connected people crossed six games, with Aymeric Laporte, Unai Simon and Rodri starring a disciplined antiaircraft unit.

France, meanwhile, person scored 16 goals, the highest attacking output of immoderate squad astatine the tournament. Kylian Mbappe has continued his exceptional World Cup signifier with 8 goals, portion Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise person added creativity and prime successful the last third. The semifinal successful Dallas volition beryllium a conflict betwixt Spain’s antiaircraft resilience and France’s attacking firepower, with the victor perchance taking a large measurement towards lifting the trophy.

As of Sunday, Opta’s supercomputer gives France a 42.1 percent probability of winning successful regularisation time, portion Spain’s chances of winning are 31.8 percent. The exemplary estimates a 26.1 percent probability of the crippled going to other time.

What different things are happening?

Argentina vs England rivalry renewed

Defending champions Argentina volition look England successful the 2nd semifinal of the World Cup connected Wednesday, renewing 1 of football’s fiercest and astir historical rivalries.

World Cup meetings betwixt the 2 nations person seldom been abbreviated of contention oregon unforgettable moments. From Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” extremity successful 1986 to David Beckham’s reddish paper for kicking Diego Simeone successful 1998, Argentina vs England has produced immoderate of the tournament’s astir melodramatic chapters.

Now, 24 years aft their past World Cup encounter, the 2 sides instrumentality to the biggest signifier to constitute a caller section successful their storied rivalry.

The lucifer volition besides people the archetypal World Cup gathering betwixt Argentina icon Lionel Messi and England’s existent procreation of stars, including Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. The Atlanta Police Department says it volition “enhance” its “citywide nationalist information and information posture” up of the game.

The victor of the semifinal volition beforehand to Sunday’s final, wherever they volition look either France oregon Spain for the accidental to assistance the World Cup trophy and go satellite champions erstwhile again.

Argentina’s Diego Maradona celebrates his 2nd extremity against England successful the World Cup quarterfinal, successful Mexico City, Mexico, connected June 22, 1986 [File: AP]

Norway’s heroic instrumentality home

More than 100,000 fans flood the streets of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, to springiness their shot squad a heroes’ welcome, turning the heartbreak of their World Cup exit into a monolithic nationalist celebration.

Translation: NORWAY WENT WILD! 90 1000 radical welcomed their nationalist squad aft the World Cup. The Prince of Norway played the drum, and the full metropolis did the “Norwegian rowing”. IMPRESSIVE.

Haaland’s bizarre raccoon souvenir

Erling Haaland is backmost successful Norway aft a World Cup run that cemented his presumption arsenic 1 of the tournament’s biggest stars. But helium did not instrumentality location alone.

The striker landed successful Oslo connected Saturday, July 11, pursuing Norway’s quarterfinal exit to England, carrying an unexpected question companion: a taxidermied raccoon.

Photos and videos of Haaland walking disconnected the level with the stuffed carnal rapidly dispersed crossed societal media, turning the antithetic souvenir into 1 of the astir talked-about off-field moments of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Leaning into the joke, Haaland aboriginal posted connected X: “It followed maine home”, alongside a raccoon emoji and a laughing face.

The 25-year-old besides asked fans to assistance sanction his caller companion done an Instagram Stories poll. The options included “Cowboy”, “Ranger”, “TEX” and “R.O.W. (Raccoon connected Wheels)” – a playful notation to Norway’s viral rowing celebration, which became 1 of the team’s defining traditions during its memorable World Cup run.

Could the World Cup expand?

FIFA volition research the anticipation of expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said.

In an interrogation with Swiss quality outlet Bluewin, Infantino said FIFA’s applicable committees would analyse the connection aft the decision of the 2026 tournament.

The comments travel arsenic FIFA oversees its archetypal 48-team World Cup, pursuing the enlargement of the tourney from the 32-team format utilized astatine each variation betwixt 1998 and 2022.

“Teams from each continent scored goals and earned astatine slightest 1 point,” Infantino said. “Nine retired of 10 African teams reached the knockout stage. At the past World Cup, determination were lone 5 teams from Africa. That conscionable goes to amusement however important it is to see each teams, to springiness them this accidental to participate.”

Asked whether the World Cup could yet turn to 64 teams, Infantino said the thought “will beryllium examined and discussed” by FIFA.

He argued that the tourney should correspond the full satellite alternatively than lone football’s accepted powerhouses, saying accrued information tin assistance countries proceed to develop.

“If you don’t springiness smaller countries a accidental to enactment successful the World Cup, they’ll deficiency the inducement to support improving,” helium said.

Infantino successful Qatar

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to connection condolences pursuing the decease of the Emir’s father, erstwhile Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, astatine Lusail Palace.

He is expected to instrumentality to the United States successful the adjacent 24 hours. The Gulf Nation hosted the 2022 World Cup, the archetypal successful the Middle East.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino meets Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani [Amiri Diwan/Reuters]