France vs Spain: World Cup semifinal – Mbappe, Yamal, predictions, kickoff

Two wins to go. How tin your squad scope the last and triumph the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: France vs Spain
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Semifinal 1
Where: Dallas Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, the United States
When: Tuesday astatine 2pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We volition person each the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT earlier our unrecorded substance commentary stream.

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Grab your popcorn, ace unfastened a acold 1 – it’s clip for the World Cup semifinals.

Two-time satellite champions France – frontrunners to adhd different 1 to their tally – look European champions Spain successful the biggest lucifer truthful acold of the 2026 World Cup.

History is wrong touching region for Les Bleus, who tin go lone the 2nd European federation to play 3 successive World Cup finals aft West Germany.

But lasting successful France’s mode is simply a slick and sturdy Spain, the acquainted foes with whom they stock a storied rivalry.

Tuesday’s opening last 4 fixture volition beryllium a clash of styles: France’s fiery, irrepressible attacking going up against Spain’s controlled, cautious game.

Here’s each you request to cognize astir the archetypal semifinal:

How did France and Spain scope the semifinals?

France topped Group I with a cleanable grounds of 9 points, winning against Norway, Senegal and Iraq. They thrashed Sweden 3-0 in the circular of 32 earlier beating a stubborn Paraguay broadside 1-0 successful the past 16 and sailing into the semifinals with a ascendant 2-0 triumph implicit Morocco.

Spain topped Group H with 7 points, beating Saudi Arabia and Uruguay and drafting with Cape Verde. They began their knockout run with a 3-0 thrashing of Austria successful the circular of 32 before beating Portugal 1-0 with a precocious extremity successful an Iberian shot derby successful the circular of 16.

Their way to the semifinals was confirmed with a late 2-1 triumph implicit Belgium.

‘This France squad has not achieved thing yet’: Mbappe

France’s enviable attacking portion has delivered similar nary different successful the tournament.

The dazzling Kylian Mbappe has scored 8 goals successful 5 games, making him the existent person successful the race for the Golden Boot, portion Ousmane Dembele has bagged 5 goals. Bradley Barcola has besides chipped successful two, and Michael Olise is their champion playmaker with 5 assists.

Those figures person prompted comparisons with the greats of the past, but contempt their highly awesome World Cup run their skipper Mbappe said the existent harvest of players person not yet reached the important constituent successful their rubric journey.

“I was a champion [in 2018] and a World Cup runner-up [in 2022], and this squad has not achieved thing yet,” said Mbappe, who has 20 goals from 20 appearances successful 3 World Cup tournaments, with 4 of those goals coming successful the finals.

“It is, however, the 1 who has the biggest potential. There are truthful galore qualities successful this squad; it allows you to dream.”

France person reached 4 of the ⁠last 7 World Cup finals, lifting the trophy successful 1998 and 2018, and losing successful 2006 and 2022.

If they bushed Spain, France volition prolong comparisons with West Germany, arguably the eventual tourney nation, with 4 ⁠finals betwixt 1974 and 1990.

France’s Kylian Mbappe, left, and Spain’s Lamine Yamal, right, volition look disconnected successful the archetypal World Cup 2026 semifinal [Franck Fife and Etienne Laurent/AFP]

‘This is simply a last earlier the final’: Spain coach

Unlike France, who are a highly attacking side, Spain person opted for a controlled approach. La Roja’s choky defence has conceded conscionable erstwhile – against Belgium successful the quarterfinals – portion Rodri, Pedri and Dani Olmo seldom cede power successful midfield.

Soon aft Spain secured their spot successful the semifinals, manager Luis de la Fuente emphasised the value of their upcoming clash with France, adding that his FIFA world-ranked fig 3 broadside is susceptible of beating immoderate team.

“It’s not an exaggeration to picture this lucifer arsenic a last earlier the final,” helium said.

“We’re 1 of the teams susceptible of reaching the final. From present on, we are afloat focused connected France.”

“We’re alert of their immense potential, but we besides cognize that we’re the lone squad to person beaten them successful 2 semifinals,” helium added.

Indeed, Spain defeated France successful the Euro 2024 semifinals connected their mode to becoming European champions, and successful the 2025 UEFA Nations League semifinals.

France vs Spain prediction

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.

Who volition the victor look successful the final?

The victor of the France vs Spain semifinal volition look either England oregon Argentina successful Sunday’s last successful New Jersey.

France’s lethal attacking quartet: #10 Kylian Mbappe, #7 Ousmane Dembele, #12 Bradley Barcola and #11 Michael Olise [Mauro Pimentel/AFP]

France vs Spain: Head-to-head

France and Spain are acquainted foes, having faced each different 38 times to date.

Spain clasp the precocious manus successful their head-to-head record, having won 18 matches. France person won 13 times, portion 7 matches ended successful a draw.

Their past gathering was the Nations League semifinal played successful Germany astir a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile Spain thrashed France 5-4 successful an exhilarating contention with Yamal’s brace sending them through.

France vs Spain: Last 5 matches

• Spain 5-4 France (UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinals)
• Spain 2-1 France (Euro 2024 semifinals)
• Spain 1-2 France (UEFA Nations League 2021 final)
• France 0-2 Spain (international friendly, 2017)
• France 1-0 Spain (international friendly, 2014)

France vs Spain: Where to watch, kickoff time

• France: beIN Sports, M6, M6+ (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
• Spain: DAZN Mundial (9pm, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: TBA (8pm, British Summer Time)
• USA: Fox, Fox One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (3pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To cheque the TV listings for your country, caput to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Mikel Merino celebrates arsenic Spain suffice for the World Cup semifinals [Jessie Alcheh/Reuters]

France vs Spain: Team news

France’s midfielders Kone (physical discomfort) and Tchouameni (groin) are doubtful, portion ⁠defenders Upamecano and Saliba (back injury) did not instrumentality portion ⁠in Saturday’s grooming session.

No injuries person been reported successful the Spain camp.

France’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Maignan (goalkeeper); Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe

Spain’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Simon (goalkeeper); Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

What happens if the semifinal lucifer ends successful a draw?