France‑Spain and Argentina‑England to contest 2026 World Cup semifinals
The FIFA World Cup 2026 semifinals will be played on 14 July in Dallas (France vs Spain at AT&T Stadium) and on 15 July in Atlanta (Argentina vs England at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium). The matches feature defending champion Argentina, three‑time champion France, 2022 champion Spain and England, the latter led by Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.
France, coached by Didier Deschamps, will rely on Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, while Spain will field Lamine Yamal and a strong defensive unit. Argentina will count on Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez; England will field Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and other midfield talents. Messi could be playing his final World Cup.
Security for the French match is massive, with up to 70 000 police officers deployed across France and 5 000 in Paris. Ticket prices for the Argentina‑England semifinal start at about $2 931 for the cheapest seats and rise to $3 690 for premium sections. French broadcaster M6 is selling record‑high TV spots for the France‑Spain game, up to €429 000 for a 30‑second ad.
Broadcasts will be available on multiple platforms, including TVP in Poland, Peacock and Telemundo in the United States, and various online streams. Mbappé suffered a minor ankle injury in the quarter‑final but is expected to play; Argentina’s Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes have been cleared after minor cramps.