FIFA World Cup brackets: Teams, predictions, schedule and road to the final

The FIFA World Cup is reaching its last stages, with Spain already done to the title lucifer and England acceptable to look Argentina for the remaining spot.

Spain booked its spot successful the World Cup last aft a 2-0 triumph implicit France, portion England and Argentina hole for the semifinal astatine Atlanta Stadium.

Here is what to know:

What is the docket for the 2nd semifinal?

• England vs Argentina, connected Wednesday, July 15 (19:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US

What bash we cognize astir the finals?

Spain booked a spot successful the finals aft defeating France 2-0 successful Tuesday’s archetypal semifinal astatine AT&T Stadium. Spain’s defence erstwhile again proved to beryllium the difference-maker, signaling its sixth cleanable expanse of the tourney portion keeping France disconnected the scoreboard.

The triumph sends Spain backmost to the World Cup last for the archetypal clip since 2010.

Spain’s hostile successful the last volition beryllium decided connected Wednesday, July 15, erstwhile Argentina and England conscionable successful the 2nd semifinal.

Although France fell abbreviated of reaching the final, its World Cup run is not finished. The squad volition inactive person 1 much lucifer to play, facing the loser of the Argentina-England semifinal successful the third-place play-off game.

The docket for the last is:

• Spain vs victor of England/Argentina, connected Sunday, July 19 (19:00 GMT) – MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Third place:

• France vs England/Argentina loser, connected Saturday, July 18 (22:00 GMT)- Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

What are the predictions for England vs Argentina?

There is astir thing separating England and Argentina up of their highly anticipated 2nd semifinal, with some teams arriving successful bully signifier and with past connected the line. According to the Opta supercomputer, England person a flimsy edge, advancing successful 51.9 percent of projected simulations.

In an unprecedented statistical takeaway, England skipper Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham person each scored six goals, marking the archetypal clip successful World Cup past that 2 players from the aforesaid federation person reached that milestone successful a azygous tournament.

Argentina, led by Golden Boot frontrunner Lionel Messi with 8 goals, participate the semifinal arsenic the highest-scoring squad astatine the 2026 World Cup, having recovered the nett 17 times. One much extremity would spot them lucifer their grounds for astir goals scored successful a azygous World Cup campaign.

Wednesday’s clash astatine Atlanta Stadium renews 1 of planetary football’s most storied rivalries, with the victor moving 1 measurement person to World Cup immortality.

What different things are happening?

France’s World Cup imagination ends

Spain has reached the World Cup last for the archetypal clip since 2010 aft their semifinal triumph against France successful Dallas.

La Roja erstwhile again showcased its antiaircraft strength, keeping a cleanable expanse against a Les Bleus broadside that entered the lucifer with 1 of the tournament’s astir unsafe attacks, led by skipper Kylian Mbappe.

Spain opened the scoring successful the 22nd infinitesimal erstwhile Mikel Oyarzabal calmly converted a punishment aft Lamine Yamal was brought down successful the box. Pedro Porro added a 2nd extremity successful the 58th minute, finishing disconnected a determination created by Dani Olmo to enactment Spain firmly successful control.

For France, the nonaccomplishment ended hopes of reaching a 3rd consecutive World Cup final. They had entered the semifinal unbeaten done their archetypal six matches and had scored 16 goals successful the tournament, but they struggled to interruption down Spain’s midfield and make accordant chances.

Mbappe gave a candid assessment of France’s show aft the defeat, admitting his squad failed to execute its crippled program and allowed Spain excessively overmuch control.

“We didn’t play the crippled we wanted, technically oregon tactically,” Mbappe said. “When you don’t bash what you person to bash successful a World Cup semifinal, you don’t win.”

The 27-year-old besides highlighted Spain’s dominance successful midfield, wherever Rodri and Fabian Ruiz were capable to dictate the tempo with clip and abstraction connected the ball. Mbappe said antiaircraft connection and pressing decisions were large issues passim the match.

France’s strategy was to unit Spain precocious up the transportation and disrupt its possession-based style, but Spain repeatedly played done the property and rapidly regained power whenever France won the shot back.

Lamine Yamal makes past connected the World Cup stage

Yamal continues to beryllium that property is nary obstruction successful the World Cup.

The Spain teen played a important relation successful his team’s 2-0 semifinal triumph implicit France, creating the infinitesimal that changed the match. As France defender Lucas Digne attempted to wide a escaped shot wrong his ain punishment area, Yamal recognised the opening, rushed in, and forced the issue. Digne failed to spot the incoming guardant and caught Yamal with his follow-through, resulting successful a punishment for Spain.

Although Yamal has scored conscionable erstwhile during Spain’s tally to the World Cup final, his interaction has extended acold beyond the scoresheet. The Barcelona star’s intelligent question and quality to make opportunities person been cardinal parts of La Roja’s success.

The lucifer came conscionable 1 time aft Yamal celebrated his 19th birthday, and his show gave Spain manager Luis de la Fuente different illustration of the maturity helium has shown passim his archetypal World Cup appearance.

“This squad interprets each play of the crippled perfectly,” de la Fuente said aft Spain secured its spot successful the final.

Yamal’s clever play earned the penalty, but it was the seasoned Oyarzabal who stepped up to instrumentality the accidental and delivered. The Real Sociedad guardant calmly placed his changeable into the top-right country successful the 22nd minute, scoring his team-leading 5th extremity of the tournament.

Tom Cruise and IShowSpeed articulation the World Cup closing ceremony

A wide array of performers, from histrion Tom Cruise to streamer IShowSpeed, volition assistance adjacent retired the World Cup, FIFA announced connected Tuesday.

Football’s governing assemblage released the lineup for the closing ceremony, which volition instrumentality spot 90 minutes earlier Sunday’s final. The amusement is meant to “celebrate the 48 teams’ unforgettable journey” done 16 big cities crossed 3 countries, FIFA said successful a statement.

IShowSpeed, who has streamed aggregate matches, is listed arsenic a performer, portion Cruise, who’s besides been spotted successful the stands and performed a stunt astatine the Paris Olympics closing ceremony, is billed arsenic making a “special appearance”.

The ceremonial volition besides see performances from Laura Pausini, the Italian vocalist who helped unfastened the Milan Cortina Olympics in February; Tony victor and Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger; and Robbie Williams, the British vocalist and erstwhile Take That member.

“Echoing the tone of the opening ceremonies, which welcomed the satellite to the top signifier successful Canada, Mexico and the United States, the closing ceremonial volition bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 afloat ellipse done music, civilization and football, earlier we footwear disconnected the highly anticipated lucifer that volition crown the champions of this groundbreaking tournament,” said Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s main operating officer.